Parow residents raised concern on Tuesday night for their children’s safety, as they attended a community dialogue held just two days before the release of child killer Norman Afzal Simons.
The dialogue was hosted by the Department of Correctional Services at the Parow Civic Centre.
It was the second community meeting held, after one in Mitchells Plain at the weekend.
Parow ward councillor Franchesca Walker asked about the type of rehabilitation Simons the “station strangler” underwent.
“We were not consulted, I found out from the media. It was unfair for us to accept the decision, hence this meeting.
“As the community we need answers because on the other parolees we were not consulted,” she said. Resident Eugene Pietersen said they were weary of Simons.
“We can’t go back, but what does he look like now?
“I am concerned about my kids who might be walking to the shops.
“I don’t have complete faith in the judiciary system. None of the officials here will be there when he will be amongst us and our kids.
“We are given two hours and two days to accept living with someone who terrorised the community. Until this day we all feel the effects of what he has done.
“It affects me deeply because I have neighbours and friends who were affected by what this man had done,” he said.
Simons is going to be living in Parow with his caregiver, his cousin, who will take care of him.
Simons was sentenced to 28 years behind bars for the kidnapping and murder of 10-year-old Elroy van Rooyen in 1995.
Although the former Grade 5 teacher at Alpine Primary School was convicted of one murder, he was also suspected of being the serial killer behind the discovery of 21 other boys who were found buried in shallow graves in Mitchells Plain between 1986 and 1994, but he couldn’t be linked to the murders.
Simons, set to be released on parole on Thursday, is currently serving his life sentence at Drakenstein Correctional Facility in Paarl.
He will be joining 22 other parolees, including “high risk” parolees who live in the Parow area, as revealed by the department.
Some of his parole conditions will include 24-hour house arrest where he will only be allowed four hours daily to seek employment, medical attention and visit the correctional services offices for programmes and meetings.
He will not be allowed in the presence of children, or to go near Mitchells Plain.
He will be restricted to one area and will also not be allowed to speak to the media.
Cape Times