Cape Town - Convicted FeesMustFall activist Lukhanyo Matinise is set to return home at the end of the month after his parole application was approved by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS).
Matinise was sentenced to five years imprisonment by the Western Cape Regional Court for arson and public violence in May last year.
He was arrested following the torching of the historic St Mark’s Anglican Church on the District Six campus of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in 2017.
At the time police said the 25-year-old was caught by security with a petrol bomb in his hand. Reports later surfaced, alleging that it might be the work of a security company that stands to benefit from the unrest that was taking place at the time.
Matinise was a first-year student when he was arrested, and has, over the years, denied that he was behind the torching of the over 150-year-old church.
His mother, Nomzamo Matinise, said they couldn't wait to welcome him back home.
“I was so happy when I received the news that he was going to be released soon. It did not sit well with me that he was languishing in jail,” she said.
Nomzamo said after his sentencing in May, the judge told her that Lukhanyo would be eligible for parole after serving 10 months. “When 10 months passed, we did not hear anything from the officials, and we started getting worried. We followed up, and we got assisted. Lukhanyo is in high spirits and cannot wait to be home.” she said.
Lukhanyo will be transferred to Pollsmoor Prison on Monday and is expected to be released on April 28. His friends and other activists started the #JusticeForMatinise campaign after his sentencing and held pickets to raise awareness about him.
Activist Siyanda Mngqibisa, who has supported Lukhanyo’s family throughout the case and sentencing, said they are happy.
“He was unfairly charged and sentenced for merely participating in FeesMustFall in 2017. It is time that we go fetch our brother outside Pollsmoor Prison, and we are calling on everyone to come in their numbers as we welcome him back.” he said.
Lukhanyo’s mother thanked all the activists and others who have supported them.
DCS said they were unable to comment due to public holidays.