Action Society has submitted a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application to the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) following the unlawful release of convicted murderer Xolani du Preez, who was serving an 11-year sentence for the 2022 murder of 28-year-old Suritha Alting.
Du Preez, along with two others, was initially held at the Horizon Youth Correctional Centre in Faure, Cape Town – a facility intended for younger offenders and managed by the Western Cape Government. After an assault on staff at the centre, the trio was transferred to Pollsmoor Correctional Centre by High Court order in July 2024, which explicitly directed that they remain incarcerated there due to the seriousness of their crimes.
Despite this order, Du Preez and his co-accused were later wrongfully released after a court appearance, treated as remand detainees rather than sentenced prisoners. Action Society’s PAIA application seeks to uncover how this grave administrative failure occurred, who authorised the release, and what corrective action has been taken.
“This was not a paperwork error, it was a collapse of the very systems meant to protect society,” said Juanita du Preez, spokesperson for Action Society. “When convicted murderers can walk free because of internal mismanagement, the public’s trust in the justice system is destroyed. We demand transparency, accountability, and reform to ensure this never happens again.”
While unlawfully at large, Du Preez committed further crimes, including a violent house robbery against David Walters in Cape Town. Walters and his son, a LEAP officer, managed to apprehend Du Preez themselves and called police to the scene.
According to Walters, it was only through insistence and persistence that Du Preez was finally taken back into custody.
“If I hadn’t insisted on opening a case, Xolani would still be walking free,” Walters said. “I am glad the justice system has done its job this time, but it should never have been up to citizens to fix what’s broken. I will continue assisting Action Society to expose how this could happen and I want people to know that their involvement matters. No contribution is too small. Don’t think your voice or actions are insignificant. Get involved. Support organisations like Action Society. Together we can hold the system accountable.”
Action Society’s PAIA request to DCS seeks all documentation, correspondence, and internal reports relating to Du Preez’s release, transfer, and re-arrest – including communication between DCS, the Horizon Youth Correctional Centre, the Department of Social Development, and the South African Police Service.
Du Preez concluded: “This case demonstrates why public oversight is essential. When officials fail, it is civil society that must demand answers. Our goal is not only to expose what went wrong, but to ensure that every offender serves their full sentence and that the victims of violent crime are not betrayed by systemic negligence.”
Action Society will continue to monitor the matter closely and will pursue all available legal avenues to ensure that those responsible are held accountable for this breach of justice.
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