The recommendation by the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board (CSPB) to grant parole to convicted murderer Donovan Moodley has sparked outrage and reopened painful wounds for the family of slain university student Leigh Matthews, civil society organisations, and the broader public.
Moodley, now 50, was sentenced in 2005 to life imprisonment for the July 2004 murder of 21-year-old Matthews, along with 15 years for kidnapping and 10 years for extortion. Despite these heavy sentences, the parole board on Monday recommended that he be considered for early release after serving just over two decades behind bars. The final decision now lies with the Minister of Correctional Services, following assessments by the Case Management Committee and the National Council for Correctional Services.
The Crime That Shook South Africa
On 9 July 2004, a day after her 21st birthday, Matthews was abducted from the parking lot at Bond University, north of Johannesburg, where she was a student. Shortly afterwards, her father received a ransom demand and delivered R50,000 near the Grasmere Toll Plaza. He was able to speak briefly with his daughter by phone — a conversation that would tragically be their last.
Twelve days later, on 21 July 2004, Matthews’ body was discovered in an open veld near the R82 highway in Walkerville, south of Johannesburg. She had been shot execution-style in the back of the head. In his confession, Moodley admitted he extorted the ransom and later burned his clothes to destroy evidence.
The brutality of the crime shocked South Africa and turned the Matthews case into one of the country’s most notorious examples of violent crime against women.
Families and Advocacy Groups Reject Parole
The Matthews family has accused the parole board of ignoring crucial information before making its recommendation. Their stance has been echoed by advocacy organisations.
Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) condemned the decision, arguing it undermines justice and retraumatises victims’ families. “Granting parole to a man who has never shown genuine remorse or disclosed the full truth about Leigh’s murder is an insult to justice and to victims of violent crime across South Africa,” WMACA said in a statement.
Political and Public Backlash
The parole recommendation has also drawn strong political reaction. DA MP Cameron MacKenzie, who serves on Parliament’s Police Portfolio Committee, wrote on X: “Donovan Moodley should NOT get parole. Her name is Leigh Matthews, surely she deserved better.”
South Africans on social media voiced similar anger. One user posted:
“Granting Donovan Moodley parole without remorse or disclosure is not rehabilitation, it’s re-traumatization. For the Matthews family, it reopens wounds and denies closure, and for South Africans, it sends a chilling message: violent crime carries no real consequence.”
Another user expressed horror:
“I’m horrified to learn that this killer is due for release on parole! This is what leads some families to take the law into their own hands to avenge their loss. There’s something wrong with this ‘human rights’ which punishes the wronged parties.”
Questions About Justice and Rehabilitation
Critics argue that the parole board’s recommendation fails to balance rehabilitation with accountability. While parole is not automatic and must be earned through remorse and rehabilitation, many believe Moodley has failed both tests. He has never provided full disclosure about the murder, leaving questions that continue to haunt the Matthews family.
Legal experts caution that granting parole under such circumstances could set a troubling precedent, weakening public faith in the justice system and diminishing the voices of victims’ families.
Awaiting the Minister’s Decision
The Department of Correctional Services emphasised that the process is far from complete.
Spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo explained: “Offender Moodley’s matter has been considered at the level of the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board, but the recommendation is not a guarantee of release. The National Council for Correctional Services will provide its input before the Minister of Correctional Services makes a final decision.”
He stressed that parole is “not a right but a privilege that must be earned through demonstrated rehabilitation and remorse.”
Twenty-one years after Matthews’ death, her family and supporters remain adamant: Donovan Moodley should serve his full sentence. The country now waits to see whether the minister will heed their call or uphold the parole board’s controversial recommendation.
