The Department of Correctional Services has conducted more than 460 raids in correctional facilities across the country over the past year in a crackdown against lawlessness within these facilities.
This according to Minister Pieter Groenewald, who presented the department’s Budget Vote in Parliament, on Tuesday.
“I can declare that in the past year, 466 raids have been conducted. I have also conducted numerous unannounced visits to numerous facilities. These unannounced visits and raids will increase in the coming year,” he said.
More than 33 000 cell phones, 20 577 sharpened objects, some 122 407 items related to alcohol and other substances, 232.16kg of drugs and over R394 000 worth of money had been confiscated during these raids.
Groenewald said officials have also been subjected to disciplinary action where necessary.
“In the last year, 515 officials have received final written warnings; 181 were suspended without pay and 146 dismissed.
“When it comes to discipline, I can only say that we can only address our problems if we recognise their true extent,” he said.
Protecting communities
The Minister said when he took office last year, there was a backlog of some 495 life imprisonment profiles. A further 584 life imprisonment profiles have landed on his desk since.
“Of this total of 1 079 profiles considered, I approved 29 parole applications and granted three cases of day parole. Five individuals serving life sentences have been granted parole and are subject to deportation.
“Thirty-eight individuals’ parole has been revoked, two cancelled and one withdrawn. Unfortunately, I have also had to utilise the powers granted to me to refer three parole placements to the Correctional Supervision and Parole Review Board.
“The CSPRB is tasked with reviewing the original decisions made by parole boards and must confirm or replace it with its own decision. In all three cases, parole was withdrawn. We are in the process of reviewing the whole parole system,” he said.
Groenewald explained that the department is tasked with ensuring that inmates, who may reoffend, are not allowed back into society.
“The department has the important task to safeguard communities against convicted criminals whilst providing rehabilitation of offenders in order to ensure safe reintegration into society. When parole becomes a loophole for further terror and criminality, it is not merely a policy failure, it is a failure of justice.
“I am very strict on that and I want to put it on record again: it doesn’t matter whether an applicant went through all the courses and the rehabilitation programmes in our facilities but when I receive a psychological reports…and the risk of reoffending is medium to high, I will not approve any parole for that specific case,” he emphasised.
Self-sufficiency
The Minister said the department will have a budget of some R29 billion for the 2025/26 financial year, rising to just over R30 billion for 2026/27 and reaching some R31.9 billion for 2027/28.
He highlighted that the department’s budget has undergone some cuts as a result of fiscal constraints.
“The cuts in our budget translate to the provision of security being compromised, capital investment in skills cuts, the budget for nutritional services had to be cut, capital works projects will be on hold and the monitoring of parolees could be negatively impacted.
“[We] face real and pressing financial and operational constraints. The capital budget shortfall of R222 million undermines our ability to conduct infrastructure upgrades and critical maintenance. The escalating cost of food, fuelled by inflation and the growing number of inmates, including a sharp increase in foreign nationals, adds another layer of financial strain,” he said.
However, the department is doing its best to “explore alternative revenue streams so that we are not solely reliant on the fiscus”.
“We have registered commendable progress in the construction of correctional centre-based bakeries and pharmacies. The number of operational bakeries has increased from nine to 11, with Standerton and Pietermaritzburg recently coming online.
“In the past financial year, we have produced just over five million loaves of bread, which translates to estimated savings of R27 197 251.20. Farm production has also yielded R130 491 122.81 estimated savings in food provisioning.
“This is but a step in the direction of becoming entirely self-sufficient. The amendments to the 12-day cycle meal plan are expected to generate estimated savings of over R200 million per annum. These figures reflect our commitment to responsible spending of the taxpayers’ hard-earned money,” Groenewald said.
In his written remarks, the Minister acknowledged that although the department has taken a step in the right direction, more still needs to be done to create a corruption-free correctional service that contributes to South Africa’s safety.
“Our mission is to [do] the best – doing more with less. More savings of taxpayers’ money, more raids, greater discipline, bigger efforts to uproot corruption, more implementation of creative solutions, a bigger, happier workforce and ultimately, greater public trust.
“Together, we will continue to strengthen our department, affirm our constitutional commitments, and ensure that justice prevails in South Africa.
“Let us reaffirm our commitment to a correctional system that serves the people, one rooted in integrity, accountability, and safety. Only then can we truly begin to restore hope, rebuild faith in the system, and move toward the safer South Africa we all deserve,” Groenewald said.
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