Killers must not be given parole

Judgment has been passed in the murder case of Karabo Mokoena, who was killed and incinerated by her boyfriend Sandile Mantsoe.

According to police statistics, in the year 2016/2017 women and children made up 13% of all murder victims. Of this number, 3 478 were women and 265 girls, while 574 boys were murdered.

People who viciously, with an attitude so callous and cruel, murder other people deserve to be incarcerated for life without parole.

Life imprisonment is the surest way to uphold the sanctity of life. To grant parole to anyone convicted of murder is one of the greatest perversions of justice. These satanic monsters have committed heinous crimes with full knowledge of the consequences, and they are therefore worthy of stern and swift punishment.

The parole system is a gross violation of our sacred constitution.

An eye for an eye may make the whole world blind, but allowing demonic beings to gouge the eyes of others leaves us with a society in which only the malevolent may see.

An innocent life that is lost to a barbaric crime is beyond redemption. Last month we celebrated Freedom Day with pomp and pageantry but, alas, freedom in South Africa is a mirage.

We are forced to live in our homes as self-imposed prisoners. Living under the constant glare of searchlights in heavily gated communities is not the freedom we fought for. We live under siege, fearing that our names could be added to those of 49 people murdered in the rainbow South Africa every day.

Farouk Araie, Benoni