She chairs Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services (PCCS) and said, after a Department of Correctional Services (DCS) briefing, building new prisons would not solve the inmate over-crowding problem.

She said the solution lies in addressing the justice system’s fundamental problems, including the delay in the processing of trials and completion of cases by courts, among other things. She said trials should be sped up and completed within a reasonable time. She also called on the department to have bilateral engagements with other relevant government departments in the justice, security and correctional services cluster to deal with the problem of overcrowding.

The statement was released after a DCS briefing to the PCCS earlier this month. Agenda items included progress on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on infrastructure projects with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) and progress on Baviaanspoort and Modderbee correctional centre kitchen projects.

On over-crowding the committee heard it stood at “approximately 46%” when bed spaces were tallied against the prison population. The department said that requires the construction of 100 new correctional centres with a bed space capacity of 500 each or alternatively 50 new correctional centres with a bed space capacity of 1 000 each.

Making DCS’ task in this regard more difficult is a cut in infrastructure allocation to R721 million down from R1 billion. Additionally, Minister Dean Macpherson’s department has “devolved the majority of maintenance responsibilities” to Groenewald’s area of responsibility.

Earlier this year Groenewald stated that new prisons will cost the South African taxpayer an estimated R36 billion. This comes from a costing which has it that a 1000 inmate bed space medium correctional centre comes to between R680 000 and R725 000 per bed space. Alternatively, a 500 inmate facility comes in at between R725 000 and R810 000 per bed space. For high/maximum security centres the bed space cost starts at R1 080 000 and can rise to R1 400 000.

Groenewald moted however that “the current fiscal environment is not accommodative of this requirement.”

Currently, the department has 69 infrastructure projects registered, comprised of maintenance and capital projects. However, to deal with over crowding, two new build projects are underway. One is at Burgersdorp in Eastern Cape, where a project for the construction of a 500-bed Correctional Centre was awarded during April 2022, and it is expected to be finalised during 2026. The second project, at Parys in Free State, “the construction contract was terminated during February 2023, due to poor performance of the contractor.” Fortunately, the Minister added that “the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) appointed a replacement contractor during December 2023,” and the site is also expected to be completed in 2026.

On the positive side, the Minister revealed that during the period from September 2023 to July 2024, the department saw bed space capacity increase by 2 788.

The post Speeding up the justice system will obviate the need for more prisons – PCCS appeared first on ProtectionWeb.

Pieter Groenewald, who took over the Correctional Services ministerial portfolio in the government of national unity (GNU) post the May election, provided an answer to Nombuso Mtolo with information starting in the 2019/20 financial year. At that time Ronald Lamola, now International Relations and Co-operation minister, headed up the Correctional Services portfolio along with the Justice ministry.

All told, starting in 2019/20 and through to 2023/24, 1 679 Correctional Services officials were suspended with 586 dismissed. The suspensions were all precautionary.

Some have not been finalised with 36 of the 357 cases reported in 2019/20 still under investigation. Similarly, there are 31 outstanding from 2020/21, 83 from 2021/22, 77 from 2022/23 and 50 from 2023/24.

Dismissals reflect termination of service, while suspensions fall into two categories. Some charges come with an automatic suspension based on the seriousness of the offence, while other suspensions are considered if the presence of the employee poses a danger to the investigation.

Groenewald’s spokesperson Euné Oelofsen said, “The minister has said on record that, by far, the majority of employees within the department are hard-working, honest employees with integrity. Incoming employees should take note of the zero-tolerance approach towards corruption. New appointments should be based on merit and persons should be fit for purpose.”

The post Almost 600 Correctional Services officials dismissed over five-year period appeared first on ProtectionWeb.

R1.669 billion of the debt, for accommodation charges, Groenewald told a Parliamentary questioner, was as of 30 June 2024 in dispute with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. Another R2.728 billion, including interest, for municipal services, is also being disputed.

Questioner, Rikus Badenhorst, a Democratic Alliance (DA) Western Cape National Council of Provinces (NCOP) public representative, was further informed by Groenewald the municipal invoice for shared savings and energy contracts was not settled timeously “due to long outstanding requested supporting documentation”. This is in line with what Badenhorst was told by Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga when he asked about monies, seemingly also in the region of R4 billion, the Department of Defence (DoD) owed DPWI.

In her response to Badenhorst’s question, Motshekga said Minister Dean Macpherson’s department was claiming money without providing proof of services supplied. The DA Member of Parliament (MP) was told, in the case of the DoD, it is dissatisfied with the payment claim adding DPWI was “officially informed”.

On the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) debt, Badenhorst was told there were several meetings with senior representatives from Groenewald’s department, National Treasury and DPWI regarding the disputed amounts and all ended without resolution.

A discussion for additional funding between the three “did not yield the desired result”.

DCS will continue “engaging the relevant stakeholders until this matter is fully resolved” the Ministerial reply reads, adding the disputed amounts are in the department’s annual report and financial statements listed as “unconfirmed inter-governmental payables”.

Groenewald stated it is also worth noting that “the Department of Correctional Services is underfunded to meet financial commitments pertaining to municipal payments.”

The post R4 billion Correctional Services debt under the Parliamentary microscope appeared first on ProtectionWeb.

This is according to DCS Minister, Dr Pieter Groenewald, who was answering questions in a sitting of the National Assembly on Wednesday.

A video of an inmate at the Goodwood Correctional Centre went viral on social media in July in which he is heard describing prison life as a “soft life”.

“It was quite clear that some of our officials were part of this breach. After an investigation, a total of six officials were identified for disciplinary actions to be instituted against them. An investigation was conducted and completed. The area commissioner of Goodwood took a decision, to institute the disciplinary action.

“The status at the moment is that all six are formally charged. Two of the six are finalised and four are still in process,” Groenewald said.

The Minister said the department is exploring ways to block signal at prisons but this brings its own challenges.

“There are various ways to deal with this matter of cell phones and connections from within our facilities. But it’s not that simple. For instance, you can have a jammer but some of our facilities are close to highways and the community itself and you cannot restrict the jamming just to the centre. That will have an influence on the community.

“So what we are doing is looking is looking at technology. There is sophisticated technology to make it more focused but it is expensive and we will have to look at our budget,” he said.

The Minister vowed to crack down on errant officials in the department.

“The first step to deal with corruption is to ensure that there are consequences for those officials who transgress. Consequence management is essential if you want to eradicate corruption.

“I had a conversation with the members at head office, and I made it clear that corruption cannot only be fought by a minister but we must join hands to do it. Most of the correctional services officials are honest, hardworking people with integrity but we will have to work together to identify the rotten apples and disciplinary steps must be taken against them,” Groenewald concluded.

The post Correctional Services officials allegedly involved in cellphone smuggling charged appeared first on ProtectionWeb.

Highlighting the issues facing his department, such as overcrowding, deteriorating infrastructure, staff shortages and criminal syndicates, the Minister noted that new crime patterns posed a challenge. As for the department’s plan moving forward, the Minister identified a need to prioritise addressing areas of inefficiency and to root out corruption.

Emphasis was placed on the department’s role as a system “that not only corrects, but heals, educates, reintegrates and contributes to the eradication of crime.”

The Minister cited insufficient economic growth, the budget deficit and the government’s “unsustainable debt burden” as the causes of previous budget cuts. Nevertheless, he maintained that the department would have to accept this, saying “we will, and have to do, more with less.” According to the Minister, this would “require innovation, discipline and commitment.”

The most urgent priorities for the department would be effective contract management, followed by a reduction of outsourcing.  The department will increase the required training for staff, to ensure that staff will be able to effectively fulfill their tasks, with the necessary skills and equipment they need.

Speaking on the “profound impact” that parole had on communities, the Minister vowed that the parole system would be reviewed, calling for fairness and transparency. The Minister further noted that the cuts to the department’s budget had lead to reduced skills development and had a negative impact on the monitoring of parolees.

Regarding the standard for corrections, the Minister called for the universal application of the United Nations’ standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners and added that there should be no compromise on enforcing discipline. The Minister went on to reveal that action had been taken against 66 department officials, for reasons including fraud, corruption and maladministration, with the department’s investigative unit having completed 77% of the investigations.

As for the population of prisoners under the department’s care, the Minister noted there had been an increase of 9.7% in the previous year, with a total of 143,223 prisoners. Of these prisoners, 59,574 are currently unsentenced, awaiting their day in court.

The post DCS is paramount in our fight against crime – Groenewald appeared first on ProtectionWeb.

The union in a statement said the staff complement that stood at 40 000 in 2009 is currently standing at 38 000 with only 27 000 officials working at the coalface of correctional centres, and demanded the employment of more custodial officers.

“We have on various occasions expressed that the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) must not renew the contracts of private prisons in the country, and should develop a clear plan that will include admitted trade unions within the department on the winding-up process,” stated POPCRU’s Media and Communications Officer Richard Mamabolo.

“As there is already a decision to absorb of all personnel employed by the two private prisons into the DCS as these officials were initially employed under the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998, we are of the view that this process must be fast-tracked.”

For the DCS to fulfill its rehabilitation mandate as directed by the constitution, POPCRU is of the view that the following measures should be urgently undertaken:

· Promotion policy and shift system should be prioritised

· Correctional centres should be self-sufficient

· Correctional centres should be built in rural areas

· The employment of more personnel is vital

· The dilapidated infrastructure should be refurbished

Meanwhile, National Commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services, Samuel Thobakgale, has welcomed the new minister and deputy ministers to the department. Groenewald will be deputised by Lindiwe Ntshalintshali.

“We are committed to working in tandem with the Ministry in our quest to bring about change through the implementation of innovative policies and programmes that promote rehabilitation, reduce overcrowding, and strive for the safety and security of our communities,” Thobakgale said.

In a statement, DCS said it is confident that with the new leadership it will continue to build on strides it has made.

“The department…is dedicated to the principles of justice, accountability, and respect for human rights. The wealth of experience brought by the new leadership will be crucial in driving forward our strategic goals and ensuring that we continue to be the best correctional service for a safer South Africa.

“Having registered significant strides in redefining the purpose of corrections, the Department is confident that it will continue to build on its successes and address the challenges facing correctional facilities.

“We extend our warmest congratulations to Minister Groenewald and Deputy Minister Ntshalintshali on their appointments. Correctional Services is poised for a stimulating tenure,” the department said.

The post POPCRU decries shrinking prison staff numbers appeared first on ProtectionWeb.