Dear Editor
The DA rejects the statement by Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald, who continues to deny his department’s role in the disappearance of three convicted criminals from custody. It is clear the Minister is being misled by officials desperate to cover up a shocking administrative failure that endangered public safety.
The three men—convicted of murder, rape, and robbery—were remanded to Pollsmoor Juvenile Centre by order of the Western Cape High Court after attacking a child youth care worker last year. One, Xolani du Preez, was re-arrested in April for robbery. A second, Mikyle Mentoor, was apprehended this week after whistle-blowers and the community responded to DA pressure. A third, a convicted rapist, remains unaccounted for.
The Minister’s attempt to shift blame to the Western Cape Department of Social Development is misleading. That department has no role in custodial decisions, warrants, or the implementation of court orders. Those responsibilities fall squarely on Correctional Services and the courts—as clearly set out in the court order.
The DA uncovered this scandal during an unannounced oversight visit to Pollsmoor two weeks ago, which revealed that two of the three criminals were no longer in custody. This directly contradicts the Minister’s written assurance to Parliament on 12 May that all three remained detained.
That false assurance is now the lie the Minister is trying to cover up.
It took Minister Groenewald two weeks to respond to DA questions and begin what he calls a “preliminary investigation.” In reality, such an investigation should have concluded within 48 hours of discovering that high-risk offenders had vanished. Even more concerning is that SAPS has reportedly still not been informed of the missing rapist, and there is no confirmation that the victims have been notified.
Both the Ministers of Correctional Services and Justice were cited as respondents in the High Court application ordering the detention of these individuals. The court papers made it clear that they were convicted criminals and outlined the legal mechanisms for their continued custody. The DA has now submitted parliamentary questions to the Minister of Justice to determine why these measures were not implemented.
Had the DA not intervened, the public would still be unaware that two violent offenders were missing. The Minister insists it is “inaccurate” to say the men were missing—but that is exactly what they were, and one remains so.
The DA has written again to the Chairperson of the Select Committee on Security and Justice to demand urgent appearances by both Ministers. The officials who misled Parliament on 12 May must be removed from any internal investigations due to a clear conflict of interest.
No amount of spin can hide the truth: government departments failed, the Minister misled Parliament, and public safety was never prioritised. The DA will continue pushing for full accountability and a correctional system that the public can trust.
Regards
Nicholas Gotsell MP
DA NCOP Member on Security & Justice