ATC170906: Report of the Select Committee on Security and Justice on an oversight visit to the Free State Province to conduct oversight of the Winburg Correctional Centre in Masilonyana Local Municipality, held from 14 – 18 August 2017, report dated 6 September 2017

NCOP Security and Justice

Report of the Select Committee on Security and Justice on an oversight visit to the Free State Province to conduct oversight of the Winburg Correctional Centre in Masilonyana Local Municipality, held from 14 – 18 August 2017, report dated 6 September 2017.
 

1. Background:

The Select Committee on Security and Justice (the Committee), as part of its mandate to provide a national forum for the public consideration of issues affecting the provinces, conducted an oversight visit to Masilonyana and Mafube Local Municipalities following observations by the Select Committee about the need to ensure the SAPS are equipped and resourced to reduce the incidence of crime in rural areas.

 

2.     Delegation:

2.1.   The oversight delegation was composed of the following members: 

Province	Political Party	Present
Eastern Cape	African National Congress	Hon T Wana
Free State	African National Congress	Hon Mr MJ Mohapi
	Democratic Alliance	Hon Mr G Michalakis
Gauteng	Democratic Alliance	Hon B Engelbrecht
KwaZulu-Natal	Democratic Alliance	Hon Mr M Chetty
Limpopo	African National Congress	Hon Mr MD Monakedi
Mpumalanga	African National Congress	Hon Mr MT Mhlanga
Northern Cape	African National Congress	Hon Ms G Manopole (apology submitted)
North West	Economic Freedom Fighters	Hon Ms TJ Mokwele
Western Cape	African National Congress	Hon Mr DL Ximbi (Committee Chairperson)

 

The following parliamentary staff supported the Committee: Mr G Dixon – Committee Secretary, Ms A Van Der Burg – Content Advisor, and Ms P Whittle – Committee Researcher.

 

1. Department of Correctional Services, Winburg, Masilonyana Municipality

The delegation was met by Area Commissioner Mr E Korabie, Mr Solomon Hladi, Mr Andrew Mokebe and Mr Motseke Pule, the Head of the Winburg Correctional Centre.

The Provincial Commissioner apologised for her absence due to her attendance at meetings with the Deputy Minister and Minister of Correctional Services.

 

1. Briefing on the Winburg Correctional Services Centre

The Grootvlei management area is comprised of Grootvlei Medium A, Grootvlei Medium B, Bloemfontein, Ladybrand, Wepener, Brandfort, Boshof and Winburg Correctional Centres.

The Winburg Correctional Centre has an approved financed post structure of 43 staff of which 41 posts are filled. There is one professional nurse on duty.

 

The Free State and Northern Cape Region has a sentenced offender population of 29227 and a remand detainee population of 4449 offenders. The region has an approved bed space of 20550 and is currently 11 percent overcrowded. Winburg has an approved bed space of 148 with 92 sentenced offenders and 17 remand detainees for a total population of 109 inmates. The current population stands at 74 percent of capacity.

 

1. Transfer plan of offenders from Western Cape Region to Free State Region

The Free State region, in an effort to relieve the overcrowding in the Western Cape and received 150 inmates from the Western Cape. This initiative came as a result of the Sonke Gender Justice High Court Judgement that determined the Correctional Centre overcrowding in the Western Cape was not humane and contravened the human rights of individuals. The 150 inmates were distributed as follows:

 

 

Transfers to	Total transfers
Grootvlei Maximum CC	75
Wepener CC	25
Winburg CC	30
Brandfort CC	10
Boshof CC	10
Total	150

 

The current Pollsmoor inmates at Winburg are 8 as a result of moving inmates around within the region to lessen the overcrowding at certain centres.

 

The Winburg Correctional Centre reported no escapes and no unnatural deaths in the correctional and remand detention facilities.

 

 

1. Committee observations

Overcrowding

The Area Commissioner reported that the overcrowding was managed well and was well within the maximum bed space allowed.

 

Rehabilitation of offenders

The delegation noted that an important part of an incarcerated person’s rehabilitation is to be near family to assist with the reintegration of the offender into society. The Department admitted the situation was not ideal but addressed the situation by providing telephone privileges to inmates to call family members and correspondence through letters. Inmates are not allowed cellular telephones but public telephones are available at the correctional centres. Family may visit the inmates although the distances may hinder families that ae destitute.

 

Uniforms for inmates and staff

The Department acknowledged that uniforms for inmates as well as staff was not provided regularly. The centres had to improvise where inmates were concerned as no winter inmate clothing was available and inmates had to wear civilian clothes. The supply of uniforms remains a challenge for the Department. St Albans, Kroonstad, Witbank and Tswelopele Correctional Centres manufacture the uniforms but due to contractual issues, the uniforms were not regularly supplied.

 

Stationery budget

The Department noted the concern raised by the delegation that correctional centres had to procure their own stationery. The Department acknowledged that it was a Departmental problem that the budget was cut but the correctional centres made do with what they could procure on their own. The Department can only procure official stationery from the Government Printers, however Government Printers as a trading account indicated that some DCS facilities owed them money and stopped fulfilling orders. The situation has since improved. Grootvlei does not owe anything hence the supply from Government Printers has remained uninterrupted.

 

Maintenance of facility by Department of Public Works

The Department reported that the cooking pots in the kitchen facility was not properly fixed by the Department of Public Works. The problem was reported and a contractor was appointed but the contractor and the Department of Public Works had a dispute that resulted in a delay in the work. The inmates do receive their daily dietary requirements as developed by a dietician for their specific needs.

 

Mangaung Private Correctional Centre.

The delegation was informed of the R396 million per annum expenditure for the Mangaung Private Correctional Centre. The Department noted the costs included staff expenditures as well as inmate expenditures. The costs are per capita costs. The Mangaung facility is owned by the UK based companies of Group 4 and Group 5. The companies were awarded a 25-year concession to build and operate the Mangaung prison in 2000 and remains contractually obligated to do so for the remaining years. Another private prison exists in Louis Trichard which falls under different owners. Members requested clarity on the contract and remaining terms entered into in 2000 and requested further research on the subject.

 

Spiritual care services

The Department explained that the inmates’ religion of choice is recorded and the relevant spiritual advisor would be brought in to offer spiritual services.

 

1. Recommendations

7.1 The Department of Correctional Services must investigate the possibility of providing video calling facilities to inmates to connect with their families to assist with the component of rehabilitation requiring connection with family and community.

7.2 The Department should provide the Committee with information pertaining to the private correctional centres and the terms that remain since the contract was entered into in 2000.

7.3 The Department should furnish the Committee with a written report, within 14 days of adoption of this report, on how the challenges related to cooking pots which were not in working order, uniforms which were not being furnished to officials and offenders and the constraints in respect of stationery would be addressed going forward.

 

Report to be considered.