Athlone community preparing for parole hearing of convicted murderer Najwa Petersen

The community of Athlone in Cape Town is preparing itself for the parole hearing of convicted murderer Najwa Petersen.

Najwa was sentenced to 28 years in prison for orchestrating the murder of her husband, Taliep Petersen.

The music and theatre legend was shot dead in his Athlone home in December of 2006.

During trial, his wife maintained her innocence, claiming gun-wielding robbers broke into their home, and shot and killed her husband.

In September 2024, after serving 15 years in prison, the Pollsmoor Correctional Supervision and Parole Board granted Najwah parole.

But the Minister of Correctional Services, Pieter Groenewald, reversed that decision two months later.

He referred the 63-year-old's parole application to the Correctional Supervision and Parole Review Board for review.

On Thursday, the community of Athlone will be meeting to discuss her upcoming parole hearing.

The open dialogue is facilitated by the Athlone South African Police Service (SAPS) and the area's community policing forum CPF.

Communitymembers will be given a chance to share their concerns and reflect on the impact this case has had on the neighbourhood.

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