Question NW2595 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
18 September 2023 - NW2595
Msimang, Prof CT to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
(1)(a) To which facilities were the 3 000 inmates transferred following the fire that was caused by a riot in the Kutama Sinthumule Correctional Centre, (b) what steps have been taken to resolve the grievances that the inmates have with the facility management and (c) what number of the grievances of the inmates have been dealt with thus far; (2) Whether inmates who were demanding to be transferred to facilities nearer to their homes have been so transferred; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
(1)(a) A total of 3 021 offenders were transferred to different centres as per the below table
|
Receiving region |
Receiving management area |
Receiving correctional centre |
Total offenders transferred |
|
Limpopo, Mpumalanga & North West |
Barberton |
Barberton Medium A |
386 |
|
Nelspruit |
100 |
||
|
Bethal |
Standerton |
120 |
|
|
Polokwane |
Modimolle |
20 |
|
|
Polokwane |
68 |
||
|
Rooigrond |
Medium A |
363 |
|
|
Rustenburg |
Losperfontein |
162 |
|
|
Mogwase |
15 |
||
|
Rustenburg Medium A |
96 |
||
|
Thohoyandou |
Makhado |
63 |
|
|
Thohoyandou Medium A |
299 |
||
|
Witbank |
Witbank Medium A |
408 |
|
|
Free State & Northern Cape |
Groenpunt |
Groenpunt |
351 |
|
Gauteng |
Baviaanspoort |
Baviaanspoort |
30 |
|
Gauteng |
Kgosi Mamapuru II |
C-Max |
15 |
|
Zonderwater |
Zonderwater |
49 |
|
|
Leeuwkop |
Leeuwkop |
16 |
|
|
Johannesburg |
Johannesburg |
90 |
|
|
Western Cape |
Drakenstein |
Drakenstein |
20 |
|
Helderstroom |
Helderstroom |
100 |
|
|
Brandvlei |
Brandvlei |
250 |
|
|
TOTAL |
3 021 |
(1)(b) DCS issued an observation notice against the Management of South African Custodial Management (SACM) with regards to improper handling of grievances as per the Concession Contract.
(1)(c) The Management of SACM has written a report to DCS with a number of grievances that they claim to have addressed which are inclusive to the following:
- Food issue;
- Dysfunctional health care system;
- Lack of transfers;
- Assault and torture;
- Ethnic language or group of people;
- Sodomy; &
- DCS Controller and Prison Director.
2. The Department endeavours to detain inmates in proximity of their areas of origin however due to overcrowding across the DCS it is not always possible to do so and it is therefore applied based on availability of bed spaces in any given facility.
END.