Committee Business Plan and Budget: adoption

Meeting report

CORRECTIONAL SERVICES PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
22 October 2004
COMMITTEE BUSINESS PLAN AND BUDGET: ADOPTION

Chairperson:

Committee Business Plan 2005/06
Committee Budget 2005/06

SUMMARY
The Committee adopted their minutes, Business Plan and Budget with minor technical amendments. The increased budget still needed to be approved by the Finance Committee.

The Committee agreed that the Cabinet-appointed Task Team dealing with prison overcrowding should update them on progress on 9 November 2004. They also proposed a joint briefing to the Departments of Correctional Services, Safety and Security, Justice, Social Development and Home Affairs.

The Chairperson said he would hold each Member to account for their efforts to recruiting chairpersons for parole boards. Members should also continue to research how other countries were tackling the issue of prison overcrowding.

MINUTES
The Committee considered and adopted the Committee Clerk's minutes, with amendments, for meetings held between the 25 June and 20 August 2004.

Mr J Selfe (DA) asked why the Chair had not written the promised letters to Party leaders about Member absenteeism. The Chair said that he had not felt it proper to complain to Party leaders without having first spoken to the Members involved.

Mr S Swart (ACDP) was concerned about the unresolved problem of overcrowding in prisons. He proposed that the Correctional Services, Safety and Security and Justice Committees meet as a cluster in the same way as Ministers, in order to find meaningful solutions. The Chair said he had attempted to contact the Chairpersons of the Safety and Security and Justice Committees.

Mr Selfe noted that even though the problem of overcrowded prisons persisted, past role-players had moved on as a new Parliament had been elected. A report had been published on overcrowding in prisons. He proposed a joint briefing to the Departments of Correctional Services, Safety and Security, Justice, Social Development and Home Affairs.

Mr N Fihla (ANC) noted that Cabinet had appointed a Task Team to deal with the issue of overcrowding in prisons. He proposed that this team be asked to present a progress report to the Committee. The Committee agreed to both the proposals and set aside the 9 November 2004 for the briefings.

The Chair referred to the Minister's request that Members should actively participate in recruiting chairpersons for parole boards. The process entailed selecting and interviewing nominees, and making appointments. The Chair requested each Member to account for their efforts in this regard.

Mr Swart was also concerned about the delay over the finalisation of the Child Justice Bill. He asked for the Committee's support in seeing it finalised. The Chairperson asked Mr Swart to follow up on the progress of the Bill and to keep the Committee informed. Mr Swart said that the final draft of the Bill would be available at the beginning of 2005.

Committee Business Plan
The Committee proceeded to effect spelling, grammatical and substantive changes to the Business Plan.

Mr Swart felt that restorative justice in developing countries was an issue that needed closer scrutiny. Ms C Chikunga (ANC) noted that overcrowding in prisons was not only experienced in developing, but also in developed countries.

Mr Fihla said that New Zealand and Australia should be looked to for guidance on how to deal with the overcrowding. These countries were similar to South Africa in many respects. However, he also felt confident that the best practice solution would most probably be found in Africa.

The Chairperson emphasised that the issue of children and youth in prisons should also be on their agenda. He asked the Committe to further research the issue of overcrowding, and suggest controls exercised by other countries.

The Business Plan was then adopted with amendments.

Committee Budget
The Chairperson reported that the Committee's budget had increased from R1.7 million (March 2004 - March 2005) to R 2.9 million (March 2005 - March 2006). This increase still needed to be approved by the Finance Committee.

The Committee Budget was unanimously adopted.

The meeting was adjourned.