Question NW2150 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
23 August 2017 - NW2150
Selfe, Mr J to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
(1)Has his department received a memorandum from inmates serving life sentences at the (a) Kgosi Mampuru Prison submitted on 10 April 2017 (b)Barberton Prison on 4 May 2017, (c) Groenpunt Prison on 22 May 2017 and (d) Empangeni Prison on 23 May 2017; if so; (2) whether his Department considered the memorandum received in each case; if not, why not; if so, (a) what has his department’s response been to each specified memorandum and (b) on what date was his department’s response communicated to the signatories of each memorandum?
Reply:
(1) Yes, the Department of Correctional Services has received memorandum from inmates serving life imprisonment at the following centres during April & May 2017:
(a) Kgoši Mampuru Correctional Centre;
(b) Barberton Medium Correctional Centre;
(c) Groenpunt Correctional Centre and
(d) Empangeni Correctional Centre.
(2)(a) Yes. Various regional task teams were established to determine the reasons for delays and develop actions plans with interventions to finalize submissions to the Parole Boards.
In addition to the establishment of the above mentioned task teams, the National Commissioner issued a circular to all Regions on 21 June 2017 reiterating procedures to be followed when profiles for lifers are submitted. Regions were requested to set up task teams starting from centre level to regional level to manage the backlogs of cases for parole consideration.
The Regions were provided with templates to assist in managing outstanding interventions/ documents. Specific matters raised in the Circular which had to be addressed by Regions included: obtaining of
sentence remarks, addressing delays in the physical compilation of G326 profile reports, involvement by officials from the South African Police Service, managing delays in signing off on profile reports, managing court orders, reporting on litigations, reporting on Restorative Justice, and ensuring compliance with previous decisions of the Minister. It was further requested that all outstanding profile reports be managed according to their action plans, ensure speedy submissions and Heads of Centres to address all affected lifers to explain the causes and remedies for the delays.
(2)(b) Kgosi Mampuru – 22 June 2017
Barberton Correctional Centre – 4 & 10 May 2017
Groenpunt Correctional Centre – 3 July 2017
Empangeni Correctional Centre – 25 May 2017