Child killer and former cop Marius van der Westhuizen will be released on parole at the end of July after a third appearance before the parole board this week.
After serving 13 years of his 24-year sentence for the murders of his three children, Van der Westhuizen’s application to be granted parole was successful, despite a desperate and emotional plea by his ex-wife, Charlotte van der Westhuizen.
He will be released under parole conditions for 10 years.
Department of Correctional Services (DCS) spokesperson Candice van Reenen confirmed the decision made by the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board (CSPB). Van der Westhuizen appeared at the Malmesbury Correctional Facility on Tuesday.
“DCS can confirm that the Parole Board has taken a decision to place the inmate on parole from 31 July 2024 until September 2034. The inmate will undergo the completion of pre-release programmes, and while on parole will also be subject to supervision by DCS’s Community Corrections office, in line with his parole conditions.
“The victims formed part of the parole-hearing process and have since been informed of the inmate’s impending release,” said Van Reenen.
Charlotte’s lawyer, Gerhard van Niekerk, said she “is not in a good space and was allowing her breathing space” before any comments are shared with the media.
In a voice note shared with the Cape Times, Charlotte said: “Family, friends, colleagues ... Marius van der Westhuizen got parole. Thirteen years for three murders. Three murders of children. So much for crimes against women and children.”
Van der Westhuizen was sentenced in April 2011 to 24 years’ imprisonment on three counts of murder after he shot and killed his three children – 21-month-old Antoinette, 5-year-old Marius and 16-year-old Bianca – to punish Charlotte for having lied to him and had given her an ultimatum to choose between her job and her family.
Van der Westhuizen had his first engagement with the Parole Board in December 2022.
Cape Times