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Today, the Minister of Correctional Services announced the release of former National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi on medical parole. Given the public’s cynicism around medical parole due to the Schabir Shaik fiasco, the Minister must give us assurance that the correct procedure has been followed.

The Correctional Services Act does allow for inmates to be released on medical parole if they are terminally ill. However, certain procedures must be followed.

Given the huge degree of public scepticism about medical parole, it is essential that the government comes entirely clean about Mr Selebi’s medical condition and the procedure that was followed in determining that he is indeed terminally ill.

There cannot be one law for the politically connected and another for the rest of us.