The Social Justice Coalition has appealed to the SA Human Rights Commission to get into discussions on how to initiate a court bid for a review on Schabir Shaik's release on medical parole.

And the DA also today issued a statement saying it intended seeking legal opinion on the possibility of launching a High Court application to review Shaik's parole.

The Coalition, established soon after the xenophobic attacks occurred last year, formally handed a letter to the HRC today requesting its assistance.

The commission's Judith Cohen accepted the letter, saying they were open to a meeting with the Coalition to discuss their next move.

Coalition members had arrived at the HRC's city offices with banners declaring "Don't be soft on rich criminals", and "1 000 prisoners die a year".

Two weeks ago the Coalition sent a letter to Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour and the National Commissioner of Prisons, Xoliswa Sibeko, asking that the Minister institute a High Court review of the grounds on which Shaik was released.

The Coalition's letter demanded that "an independent panel of medical experts, nominated by the HRC and the Judicial Inspectorate of Prisons, examine Shaik and submit reports to the court".

"The terms of reference must include the investigation into any possible political interference in a procedure designed for the compassionate release of dying people."

They have not yet received a response, but said they wanted answers in writing within seven days if the request for a review was turned down.

"If we do not get a response we will have to mobilise the people," said Anele Wondo, the Coalition's Kraaifontein co-ordinator.

Shaik was given medical parole less than three years into a 15-year sentence for fraud and corruption, related to facilitating a bribe for ANC president Jacob Zuma from French arms company Thint.

He is reported to have spent much of his sentence in a hospital ward. His family has said he is "gravely ill".