While the Mitchells Plain Community Police Forum (CPF) has urged people to forgive Station Strangler, Norman “Afzal” Simons, the family of his victim Elroy van Rooyen is not happy about his release and want him to remain in jail.
Speaking through a spokesperson at a community dialogue held at the Lentegeur Civic Centre on Sunday, the family said the decision by the Department of Correctional Services to release Simons on parole shocked them to the core, and they vehemently oppose it.
He is due to be released on parole on Thursday, July 20, after serving 28 years behind bars for the kidnapping and murder of 10-year-old Elroy in 1994.
The former school teacher was also suspected of being the serial killer behind the discovery of 21 other boys in shallow graves in Mitchells Plain between 1986 and 1994, but couldn’t be linked to the other murders.
Last week, the Daily Voice revealed that Simons would live with his family in Parow, which sparked concern in that community, which said they had not been consulted.
On Sunday, DCS held a community dialogue with the victims’ families, residents, and various stakeholders to provide more clarity about Simons’ parole.
Zorah Motasi spoke on behalf of Elroy’s family, explaining what they have been going through since the announcement of Simons’ release.
“The family is not happy with the fact that the perpetrator will be released. We are not for it,” Motasi said.
She added that even though DCS approached the family, they did not feel like they were being consulted, merely informed. After all these years, they are still traumatised by Elroy’s death, especially his older brother Peter.
“The pain and suffering everyone went through is still very much there. The government as a whole is failing us as a family,” Motasi said said.
“Unlike Norman Simons, the family was never catered for. To us, it’s like taking off a bandage from a wound you covered for 28 years, and then you just expect that wound to be healed. Although the decision is taken, we oppose it,” she said.
Simons’ parole conditions are that he is to remain under 24-hour house arrest. He is restricted to the magisterial area and not allowed to leave unless an application is made, and it has to be on conditions of him having a medical condition, or life-threatening event.
Simons will also not be allowed to speak to the media unless a special application is made.
He will be allowed eight day-and-night visits a month under supervision and is expected to report to the DCS office to attend further programmes. He will also be restricted from being in the presence of children.
On Sunday, most attendees in the hall agreed with the Mitchells Plain CPF, who asked people to give Simons a chance as he had served his sentence and there was no proof that he was involved in the other 21 murders.
Chairperson Norman Jantjies, who was once a pupil of Simons, said the rehabilitation process must be allowed to take place.
“He was a good teacher, even in prison he would use his spare time to teach wardens computer skills.
“We should give him a fair chance to make a constructive contribution to society,” Jantjies said
Mitchells Plain Safety Forum chairperson Abie Isaacs asked DCS to be on top of their game when monitoring Simons.
“There are too many times we hear of correctional officers not going out to do proper check-ups. They sit in their cars waiting for family members to confirm if the parolee is there. This is not how it should be done,” Isaacs added.