Question NW3163 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
05 January 2024 - NW3163
Msimanga, Mr ST to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
(1)What total number of prisoners have (a) escaped and/or (b) attempted to escape in the past five years in both (i) public and (ii) private correctional facilities; (2) whether he has been informed of the total number of (a) prisoners who are currently under the care and/or supervision of correctional facilities and (b) prison guards in each province; if not, why not, in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?
Reply:
(1)(a) Total number of inmates escaped in the past five years in both public and private correctional facilities as reported by regions.
|
Region |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
April 2023 To Date |
|
Limpopo, Mpumalanga & North West |
01 |
06 |
07 |
05 |
02 |
|
Free State & Northern Cape |
09 |
11 |
03 |
03 |
02 |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
05 |
03 |
06 |
02 |
03 |
|
Western Cape |
04 |
75 |
03 |
05 |
02 |
|
Gauteng |
10 |
12 |
02 |
02 |
01 |
|
Eastern Cape |
05 |
10 |
01 |
10 |
03 |
|
TOTAL |
34 |
117 |
22 |
27 |
13 |
The following number of escaped inmates were re-arrested to lawful custody
|
Region |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
22021/22 |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
|
Limpopo, Mpumalanga & North West |
01 |
03 |
01 |
05 |
01 |
|
Free State & Northern Cape |
08 |
09 |
03 |
03 |
0 |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
04 |
02 |
05 |
02 |
02 |
|
Western Cape |
03 |
75 |
03 |
05 |
0 |
|
Gauteng |
06 |
02 |
02 |
01 |
01 |
|
Eastern Cape |
05 |
10 |
01 |
05 |
03 |
|
TOTAL |
27 |
101 |
15 |
24 |
07 |
1 (b) Total number of inmates attempted to escape in the past five years in both public and private correctional facilities as reported by regions.
|
Region |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
April 2023 To Date |
|
Limpopo, Mpumalanga & North West |
0 |
0 |
01 |
0 |
01 |
|
Free State & Northern Cape |
03 |
03 |
03 |
01 |
02 |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
01 |
0 |
0 |
02 |
01 |
|
Western Cape |
04 |
01 |
03 |
01 |
02 |
|
Gauteng |
05 |
01 |
02 |
0 |
02 |
|
Eastern Cape |
03 |
25 |
02 |
02 |
02 |
|
TOTAL |
16 |
30 |
11 |
6 |
10 |
(2)(a) whether he has been informed of the total number of (a) prisoners who are currently under the care and/or supervision of correctional facilities; and
Community corrections population is composed of the three categories of offenders such as Probationers, Parolees and Awaiting Trial Persons. The national population / total caseload within the system of community corrections as at 30 September 2023, is outlined as per table below:
|
REGIONS |
PROBATIONERS |
PAROLEES |
AWAITING TRIAL PERSONS(ATP) |
TOTAL PER REGION |
|
Eastern Cape |
886 |
8 455 |
29 |
9 370 |
|
Free State & Northern Cape |
568 |
5 179 |
123 |
5 870 |
|
Gauteng |
595 |
7 810 |
54 |
8 459 |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
881 |
10 100 |
06 |
10 987 |
|
Limpopo, Mpumalanga & North West |
633 |
7 758 |
243 |
8 634 |
|
Western Cape |
1 262 |
4 185 |
376 |
5 823 |
|
TOTAL |
4 825 |
43 487 |
831 |
49 143 |
The total number of probationers and parolees within the system of community corrections is 48 312 and Awaiting Trial Persons (ATP) population is 831. The total nationally is 49 143.
(b) Prison guards in each province; if not, why not, in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?
The post establishment /structure within the system of community corrections per region as at 02 October 2023 is delineated/outlined as per table below:
|
REGION |
FILLED POST |
VACANT |
TOTAL POST FUNDED |
|
Eastern Cape |
246 |
30 |
276 |
|
Free State & Northern Cape |
233 |
31 |
264 |
|
Gauteng |
346 |
52 |
398 |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
270 |
24 |
294 |
|
Limpopo, Mpumalanga & North West |
421 |
28 |
449 |
|
Western Cape |
331 |
55 |
386 |
|
Head Office |
19 |
18 |
37 |
|
TOTAL |
1 866 |
238 |
2 104 |
A total of 1 866 posts are currently filled nationally within the system of community corrections with 238 vacant posts.
END.