Calls are mounting for South Africa’s Parole Board to reverse its decision to grant parole to a former police officer who murdered his three children.
Women’s Advocacy group, MOSAIC is the latest organisation to express disappointment with this decision.
The Correctional Services Department confirmed that Marius van der Westhuizen would be released at the end of July 2024.
He was convicted and sentenced to 24 years behind bars, for killing his three children in Brackenfell, in 2006 – in full view of his wife.
Van Der Westhuizen, a former high-ranking police official, used his service pistol to murder his three children, aged 21 months, 5 years and 16 years.
The former cop has since served 13 years of his total sentence.
MOSAIC’s Tarisai Mchuchu-MacMillan says they believe he has not met a rehabilitation threshold.
“We are deeply saddened by this outcome. As we communicated to the parole board in our letter in 2023 in support of Charlotte Van Der Westhuizen, in her bid to stop the release. Beyond this, we also fear for Charlotte’s life. By failing her with the decision that’s been made, the system may have placed her in further harm’s way”.
Picture: The Department of Correctional Services
