Question NW3006 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

Reply:

1. (a) The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is not able to dispose of any public records in its custody, be it records of deceased members or deceased offenders due to the moratorium on the destruction of records imposed by Cabinet as per Circular 02 of 1998 due to non-completion of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

As a result, files and records are inundating DCS offices.

On numerous occasions, DCS has written to the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture (DSAC) requesting them to approach Cabinet to consider partial upliftment of the moratorium on the destruction of records that are not related to the TRC and feedback is awaited in this regard.

As at, 18 September 2023, 50 boxes have been filled with inactive files and stored in one of the offices with the intention of moving them to the Regional Office.

As at, 19 September 2023, boxes of inactive files have been moved to appropriate archive facilities at the Regional Office, the active files will remain at the Community Corrections office in Stellenbosch.

The remainder of the inactive files will be packed in boxes and moved to the Regional office with the due date of 30 September 2023, for the project to be completed.

(b) The Minor renovations of the building listed below are underway using own resources. However, it must be indicated that major renovations must be done by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure:

1. Cleaning all ceilings
2. Prepare internal walls, doors and doorframes.
3. Prepare wooden floors and tiled floors
4. Prepare and varnish all wooden window frames
5. Paint internal walls, doors and doorframes
6. Repair Electrical and DB board
7. Repair Plumbing
8. Repair broken door handles and locks
9. Replace broken window panes and restore old putty
10. Prepare walls and external window frames
11. Repair broken tar floors
12. Clean court house wall
13. Steel frames
14. Kitchen cupboard
15. Steel cabinet for gas
16. Shift all IT cabling into trunking
17. Replacement of Carport nets
18. Removing of stored files

DPWI RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Replace gutters and facial boards
2. Replace broken asbestos roof sheets
3. Repair roof leaks

The target date for the completion of all minor renovations by DCS is
01 December 2023.

2. (a) Somerset Community Corrections office serves 07 Areas.

Namely: Macassar, Somerset West, Lwandle / Nomzamo, Strand, Gordons Bay, Sir Lowry’s Pass and Faure Farms.

(b) The current caseload is 183 with 25 parolees reporting to the office on a weekly basis for consultations and interventions.

3. (a) There are no parolees registered in the system of Community Corrections without confirmed addresses. Confirmation of address is a pre-requisite for admission.

(b) Regular monitoring and Monthly Special Monitoring:

Special monitoring is to check on absconders and also to ensure that parolees comply with their conditions;

• Involve relevant stakeholders such as South African Police Service (SAPS), Community Policing Forums (CPFs), Neighbourhood Watch members and Private Security with Special Monitoring as part of stakeholder’s engagement and visibility in the communities;
• Arrange employment where possible;
• Parolees in programmes by stakeholders (Badisa, Help Me Network and Helderberg Cares) e.g. Parenting, Drug Addiction Programmes etc;
• Hope Prison Ministry (Restorative Justice Awareness Program);
• Social work programmes presented are Life Skills, Anger Management, Sexual Offenders Treatment Program, Group work and Individual interviews; and

These activities are aimed at ensuring that reintegration into the communities becomes successful.

 

END.