Question NW1055 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
22 November 2019 - NW1055
Selfe, Mr J to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
Whether he has found that all correctional centres conform to the requirements prescribed in terms of section 7(1) of the Correctional Services Act, Act 111 of 1998; if not, (a) why not, (b) which correctional centres have been found not to conform to the prescribed requirements and (c) what steps is his department taking to ensure conformity with the prescribed requirements in all correctional centres?
Reply:
1. Not all the correctional centres conform to the requirements of Clause 7(1) of the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998 which stipulates the following:
“7 Accommodation (1) Prisoners must be held in cells which meet the requirements prescribed by regulation in respect of floor space, cubic capacity, lighting, ventilation, sanitary installations and general health conditions. These requirements must be adequate for detention under conditions of human dignity.”)
(a) The reasons for the non-conformity are:-
(ii) The Department’s correctional centres are made up of a range of facilities built over an extended period of time and they cater for a variety of different purposes to suit the thinking that was prevalent at the time of their construction. Many of centres were not designed to fulfil the objective of inmate detention under conditions of human dignity as is prevalent in the current correctional system;
(iii) Overcrowding in correctional centres which causes accelerated dilapidation of facilities, faster than new facilities can be constructed or the existing ones repaired;
(iv) Backlog of maintenance due to financial and human capacity constraints within both the implementing agent department (DPWI) as well DCS.
(b) There are fifteen (15) correctional centres that do not conform to the requirements (marked by * in the table below).
(c) The department is instituting corrective actions by upgrading existing correctional centres where funds permit, as well as planning the construction of new correctional centres as follows:-
|
Correctional centre |
Status |
Corrective action |
|
|
1 |
Glencoe* |
Completed 2019/20 |
Upgrading contract for a section of the centre was completed in June 2019; Contract 2 is in planning for the remainder of the centre |
|
2 |
Tzaneen* |
Under construction |
Construction of a new 500 bed correctional centre to replace zinc structure is underway, due for completion during 2019/2020 |
|
3 |
Lichtenburg* |
Planning |
Planning for an upgrading project to create additional 234 bed spaces and replace zinc structure is at an advanced stage; construction to commence in 2020/2021 |
|
4 |
Leeuwkop* |
Planning |
Planning for a new correctional centre to create 1,000 bed spaces and replace zinc structure is at site clearance stage |
|
5 |
Voorberg* |
Planning |
Planning for a new correctional centre to create 1,500 bed spaces and replace zinc structure is at site clearance stage |
|
6 |
Zeerust* |
Planning |
Planning for a new correctional centre to create 500 bed spaces and replace zinc structure is at site clearance stage |
|
7 |
Makhado* |
Zinc construction |
Planning will commence when funds are available |
|
8 |
Atteridgeville* |
Zinc construction |
Planning will commence when funds are available |
|
9 |
Drakenstein Medium B* |
Zinc construction |
Planning will commence when funds are available |
|
10 |
Pollsmoor Medium B* |
Zinc construction |
Planning will commence when funds are available |
|
11 |
Groenpunt Medium* |
Zinc construction |
Planning will commence when funds are available |
|
12 |
Brandvlei Medium* |
Zinc construction |
Planning will commence when funds are available |
|
13 |
Brandvlei Maximum* |
Closed |
Closed. Repair and renovation project is in planning stage |
|
14 |
Umzimkhulu* |
Closed |
Closed. Repair and renovation project is in planning stage |
|
15 |
Geluk* |
Closed |
Closed. Planning will commence when funds are available |
|
16 |
Standerton |
Completed 2019/20 |
Upgrading and addition of 787 bed spaces, completed during 2019/20 |
|
17 |
Estcourt |
Completed 2019/20 |
Upgrading and addition of 309 bed spaces, completed during 2019/20 |
|
18 |
Parys |
Under construction |
Upgrading and addition of 176 bed spaces commenced in 2019 |
|
19 |
Burgersdorp |
Planning |
Planning for an upgrading project to create 311 additional bed spaces is at an advanced stage; construction to commence in 2020/2021 |
|
20 |
Bethal |
Planning |
Planning is underway for a major repair and renovation project under the DPWI “Planned Maintenance” budget |
|
21 |
Mahikeng |
Planning |
Planning is underway for a major repair and renovation project under the DPWI “Planned Maintenance” budget |
|
22 |
Port Shepstone |
Planning |
Planning is underway for a major repair and renovation project under the DPWI “Planned Maintenance” budget |