ATC221011: Report of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services on oversight visits to Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Free State Provinces, dated 23 September 2022

Justice and Correctional Services

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services on oversight visits to Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Free State Provinces, dated 23 September 2022.

The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, undertook their oversight visits to various provinces from 19-23 April 2022 and reports as follows:

Introduction

The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services (the Committee) undertook oversights visit to Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Free State Provinces between 19-23 April 2022.

The Committee was divided into two groups, one for inland provinces and another for coastal provinces. Group A comprised the following members:

Mr G Magwanishe (Chairperson) (ANC)
Ms A Ramolobeng (ANC)
Ms N Maseko-Jele (ANC)
Mr J Engelbrecht (DA)
Mr V Ramaano (Committee Secretary)
Mr M Mathabathe (Acting Content Advisor)
Ms G Nesbitt

Group B comprised the following members:

Mr. QR Dyantyi (Chairperson) (ANC)
Mr. X Nqola (ANC)
Ms. Y Yako (ANC)
Ms. G Breytenbach (DA)
Mr. S Mthonjeni (Committee Secretary)
Ms. C Silkstone (Content Advisor)
Mr. M Dano (Committee Researcher)

The focus areas for the oversight visit were Infrastructure, Rehabilitation, Skills development and Social Reintegration.

PART I

Correctional Centers visited

The inland group visited Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre; Thohoyandou Correctional Centre; Tzaneen Correctional Centre, and Mangaung Correctional Centre. In addition, an unannounced visit was done at Grootvlei Correctional Centre.

The coastal group on the other hand visited, St Albans Correctional Centre; and Mdantsane Correctional Centre.

The Committee also invited the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to their oversight visit in correctional centres.

Copies of all the presentations are available from the committee secretariat.

KUTAMA-SINTHUMULE CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre is one of the two Public Private Partnership Correctional Facilities in South Africa and is based in Louis Trichardt in the province of Limpopo.

The facility was built in 2001 at a cost of R303 million and it took 318 working days to complete the construction of this facility. During the construction phase of this facility, there were no cost variation to government. The contract for this facility is for 25-years period which will expire in 2027.

The total staff complement of this facility is 584 of which 489 are allocated to corrections, 67 are allocated to programmes, 22 are allocated to maintenance and 6 are allocated to Johan Francois Engelbrecht who is a service provider responsible for servicing CCTVs and other electronic systems in the facility.

The offender population in this facility is 3024 maximum sentenced male offenders. The longest sentence in this facility is 2 410 years and the average sentence is 22 years and 9 months, while the shortest sentence is 15 years. Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional facility has 249 foreign national from Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Malawi, Nigeria, Lesotho, Angola, Namibia, Somalia, Ghana and Ethiopia. Majority of foreign national inmates are from Zimbabwe (143), followed by Mozambique (69) and Lesotho (17).

The facility has a 50 bed hospital, dentistry, X-Ray facilities and emergency room. 41% of offenders are currently on medication of which 8 are on TB treatment and 688 receive ARV treatment. The nursing staff encounter 54 085 cases per month while medical officers encounters 470 cases per month. The facility managed to reduce death due to natural causes from 28 per annum to an average of 10 over the last 5 years.

In terms of COVID-19, a total cumulative positive cases for staff was 176 of which 172 recovered and 4 deaths were recorded. Currently there are no active COVID-19 cases in the facility for staff members. The cumulative positive COVID-19 for offenders was 111 of which 110 recovered and 1 death was recorded. Currently there are no active cases for offenders and a total of 2 493 offenders are vaccinated.

Kutama-Sinthumule follows a structured day programme and offenders are provided with different programs including education, vocational training and psycho-social programs. These programs form part of Offender Rehabilitation Path.

The facility conducts a preventative maintenance, reactive maintenance and all replacements are the responsibility of the contractor. Annual dilapidation studies are performed by independent specialists and condition surveys are conducted every 2 years.

Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional facility engages in community outreach programmes. These includes amongst others; donations of computers, computer stands and copiers to Mphephu High School; old duvets to the SPCA; School uniform and toiletries to Tshilwavhusiku Special School.

A number of achievements were also registered by the facility including; logistic achiever of the year 2004; best ABET results in the Limpopo Province; and various awards during the Local Southpansberg Show.

THOHOYANDOU CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

4.1 Thohoyandou Management Area has four correctional centres which are; Medium A, Medium B, Females and Juveniles, and Makhado.

4.2 The approved bed space of the four facilities is 1 353 of which there are 1 058 remand detainees and 1 157 sentenced offenders bringing the total sentenced and remand inmates to 2 216 which is 64% overcrowded.

4.3 Thohoyandou Management Area has 164 lifers. Of these, 17 Van Wyk and Van Vuuren received from NCCS with the Minister’s decision.

4.4 There are 355 foreign national inmates of which 218 are sentenced and 137 are remand detainees. Majority of foreign national sentenced inmates are from Zimbabwe (190) followed by Mozambique (20).

4.5 The number of court referrals in terms of Section 49G of the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998 was reported as 273 none of those referrals were successful.

4.6 The number of court referrals in terms of Bail Review between was reported as 466 of which only 15 were successful and 454 were not successful.

4.7 Thohoyandou Management Area offers a number of rehabilitation programmes to inmates. These include long skills such as welding, plumbing, carpentry and building. Short skills offered include sewing, baking and vegetable production. Educational programmes are also offered such as AET and TVET.

4.8 A total of 1 099 inmates participate in both skills and educational programmes of which 823 are from Medium A, 134 are from Females and Juveniles centre and 142 are from Makhado.

4.9 There are two (2) Community Corrections offices under Thohoyandou Management Area in Sibasa and Makhado. Sibasa has 6 satellites offices while Makhado has 8 satellites offices. There are 61 active absconding cases, 176 archived and 14 re-arrested parolees.

4.10 Some of the challenges identified under Community Corrections include reoffending by both parolees and probationers; lack of halfway houses to accommodate offenders who lack support system; criminal records of parolees and probationers which limit employment opportunities and inability to decentralize services to communities due to lack of facilities in communities to establish satellite services points to be accessed by parolees, probationers and the community.

4.11 In terms of infrastructure, Makhado was built in 1958 and incarcerates medium offenders and remand detainees with approved capacity of 3030. Females/Juveniles Centre was built in 1988 and incarcerates females and male juvenile inmates with approved capacity of 140. Medium A was also built in 1988 and was handed over for operations in 1991. The center incarcerates maximum and medium security classified inmates with the approved bed space of 685 and remand detainees. Medium B was built in 1979 and incarcerate remand detainees. This is the only Remand Detention Facility in Mopani and Vhembe District Municipality with approved capacity of 225. The remand facility is servicing 40 prosecutorial courts.

4.12 Challenges identified in terms of infrastructure include dilapidated buildings due to lack of maintenance and aging. Medium B has been in existence for 43 years and has never been renovated. Medium B kitchen is not in a good working condition and requires upgrading.

4.13 Minor day to day maintenance under R100 000 is utilized for own resource projects including: plumbing works; electrical works; and renovation of single quarters. Major renovations of infrastructure and building on the other hand are implemented by DPWI.

4.14 In terms of Self-Sufficiency, the management area has piggery, beef and vegetables with a total of 323, 66 Hectares for planting.

4.15 The following achievements were highlighted in the management area:

Establishment of Pharmacy for the Management Area which was fully graded in March 2022
Refurbishment of 420 school desks for Dimani Agricultural High School.

4.16 The following challenges and interventions have been identified:

Radius of Community Corrections offices. Three additional vehicles were received and placement of nine additional officials including a social worker.
Reoffending of parolees and probationers and loss of support. One social worker from Medium A was placed at Community Corrections
12 Community Corrections Offices are without cabling and access to A&R system. The procurement of 16 laptops has been finalised for all offices and connections will be via routers.
Lack of perimeter fence. Site handed over to the contractor on 6 April 2022.
Medium A and B kitchens are in bad conditions and the project was registered in 2014. Project will be handed over to DBSA for speedy implementation.
Shortage of water. Installation of water tanks and pumps in all Correctional Centres.

TZANEEN CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

5.1 Tzaneen Correctional Centre is one of the three centres under Polokwane Management Area. The other two centres are; Polokwane and Modimolle Correctional Centres.

5.2 The Management Area has approved bed space of 1 320 and currently houses a total of 1 938 offenders of which 763 are remand detainees and 1 175 are sentenced offenders.

5.3 In terms of lifers, the Management Area only has 30 lifers of which 23 falls under Phaahla judgment and 07 under Van Wyk judgment. 19 Phaahla cases reached minimum detention period while 04 have profiles for future date. The 17 of the Phaahla cases have been submitted to the NCCS and the other 02 are still to be submitted to the NCCS. In terms of Van Wyk cases, the 03 profiles have been submitted to the NCCS while the other 04 have been received from the NCCS with the Minister’s decision.

5.4 Polokwane Management Area has 387 foreign national inmates both sentenced and remand detainees and majority are from Zimbabwe (272) followed by Mozambique (56) and Malawi (26).

5.5 In terms of remand detainees, 27 detainees were referred to court under Section 49G of which 22 were successful and 05 were not successful

5.6 Polokwane Management Area has a post establishment of 682 and only 668 positions are filled with a vacancy rate of 14%.

5.7 Offenders in Tzaneen Correctional Centre are provided with variety of skills programmes and educational programmes. Skills programmes includes welding, basic computer skills, and electrical. Educational programmes on the other hand include Adult Education and Training, Further Education and Training and Technical and Vocational and Education and Training. A total of 644 offenders benefited from these programmes.

5.8 There are 1 017 parolees and probationers in the system of Community Corrections in Tzaneen of which 45 are active absconders and 391 are archived absconders.

5.9 Challenges facing Community Corrections include reoffending of parolees and probationers, the post establishment which is insufficient for services rendered and the shortages of auxiliary social workers for restorative justice processes.

5.10 In terms of infrastructure, Tzaneen was built in 2009 and was handed over to DCS in June 2020 with a bed space capacity of 501.

5.11 Infrastructure challenges include lack of maintenance plan for the Integrated Security System maintenance at Tzaneen Correctional Centre; no provision of official accommodation and recreational facilities; need for office space for community corrections and non-availability of cabling in fourteen offices.

5.12. In terms of Self-Sufficiency, Tzaneen Correctional Centre planted vegetables on a 6.4 ha plot, and fruit trees have been planted in a 3.4 ha plot.

5.13 In terms of achievements, Tzaneen Correctional Centre did not procure any vegetables during the 2021/22 financial year and produced 95 417,14 kg saving the centre R692 686,56. A vegetable nursery was also established at Tzaneen as well as cold storage for garden produce. Tzaneen has also been registered as an AET centre with the Department of Education.

ST ALBANS CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

6.1 St Albans Management Area has five (5) correctional centres which are Medium A; Maximum facility; Medium B; Patensie Correctional Centre and Port Elizabeth Correctional Centre. The approved bed spaces for all these centres is 4 003 and there are 5 401 inmates, resulting in an overcrowding rate of 134.92%. Of the total number of inmates, 1 449 are remand detainees.

6.2 There are 1 204 lifers of which 72 falls under the category of Van Wyk, 35 under Phaahla, 5 under Van Vuuren.

6.3 St Albans Management Area houses 85 foreign national inmates of which the majority are from Zimbabwe (24), followed by Malawi (19), and Tanzania (11).

6.4 In terms of human resources, there are 1 324 financed posts of which 1 240 are filled and 84 are vacant translating to a 6.34% vacancy rate.

6.5 In terms of court referrals, Medium A submitted 204 applications under Section 49G of the Correctional Services Act and non were successful, while 1 255 were submitted under Bail Review and all were successful.

6.6 St Albans Management provides long and short term skills as well as educational programmes as part of rehabilitation of offenders. For long term skills, the facility provides welding, carpentry, plumbing and building. Under short skills, the centre only provides sewing, baking and vegetable production. In terms of educational programmes, FET, AET and TVET.

6.7 There are two (2) Community Corrections offices under St Albans Management Area in Port Elizabeth and Humansdorp. There are 238 active absconding cases and 400 archived. Community Corrections experience challenges of lack of enough human resources due to budgetary cuts.

6.8 In terms of infrastructure, Medium A was built in 1979 to accommodate 733 male inmates; Medium B was built in1972 to accommodate 963 male inmates; Maximum was built in 1989 to accommodate 1 225 male inmates; Port Elizabeth was built in 1947 to accommodate 665 male and female inmates; and Patensie was built in 1958 to accommodate 417 male offenders working in farms.

6.9 The conditional assessment conducted in St Albans revealed that Med A, Med B and Maximum correctional centres were in poor conditions while Port Elizabeth Correctional Centre was in a good condition and Patensie Correctional Centre was in a fair condition.

6.10 Some of the infrastructure challenges identified included: unsatisfactory service delivery and cooperation by DPWI; no facilities structure in the Management Area; non-compliance of PE Community Corrections with OHS and delays in procurement of alternative accommodation. In order to address these challenges, the following interventions were identified:

Mobilisation of financial resources for the financing of facilities structure post establishment
DCS to have internal service contracts
DPWI to expedite the procurement of alternative lease accommodation.

6.11 In terms of Self Sufficiency and Sustainability, the Management Area produces; office furniture; offender uniform and bed sheets; offender beds and lockers, gates and grills; brown bread for offenders; chicken meat and vegetables for offender ration.

6.12 Some of the achievements identified in the Management Area:

Self-Sufficiency and Sustainability
The Pharmacy at the Management Area is fully graded Level A
Improved stakeholder Management
Improved relations and collaboration with JCPS Cluster
Reduction of security related incidence.

MANGAUNG CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

7.1 Mangaung Correctional Centre is mandated in accordance with Section 103 of the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998. It is one of the two Private Public Partnership Correctional Facilities in South Africa and has a 25 year fixed contract (2001-2026).

7.2 The centre houses a total of 2 928 male maximum classified sentenced offenders. These offenders are housed in 6 units each housing 488 inmates.

7.3 The centre is managed through a structured day programme for all activities. The unlock is at 07h30 and lock up is at 19h30 daily. The inmates programmes are divided into split shifts system (morning shift and afternoon shift).

7.4 The approved post establishment for the centre is 510 and there are 493 positions filled with 7 vacant. The officials are appointed within the ambit of the DCS Act and have the same powers and mandate as DCS officers.

7.5 The centre operates on a principle of unit management and direct supervision with a staff and offender ratio of 1:60 within the units. All employees undergo 40hrs refresher training in an operational year to ensure certification as custodial officials by DCS.

7.6 All employees rendering professional and specialized services are employed by G4S except the health care and food service sub-contractors. Food service is rendered by KKS Daluxolo Food Services while Health Care is rendered by Faranani Life Health Solution Life.

7.7 Incarceration period of offenders in the centre ranges from 5 years to life sentences including those declared as dangerous persons and habitual criminals. There are 1 288 offenders serving life sentences, 800 serving sentences of 20 years and longer, 1 habitual criminal and 2 declared as dangerous persons. In terms of race, 353 are coloureds, 46 are whites and 2 529 are blacks.

7.8 Majority of the inmates (1 597) in the facility are from the Free State followed by Gauteng (454), Northern Cape (349) and North West (82). There are 162 foreign national inmates incarcerated in the facilities of which majority are from Lesotho (83) followed Zimbabwe (33) and Mozambique (30).

7.9 A number of programmes are provided to offenders for skills development including; leatherwork, candle making, woodwork, tailoring, upholstery, office machines, homecare, computers and cleaning services.

7.10 There are 10 Social Workers delivering social work services to inmates on a daily basis and 2 G4S Psychologists delivering psychological services to inmates on a daily basis. Religious care services are provided by 1 dedicated Chaplain, 20 Sessional Religious Workers and there are 20 active denominations in the centre.

7.11 The Bakery in the centre produces 1 400 loaves of bread daily and the Horticulture has donated 246 tons to various charities in the Mangaung area.

MDANTSANE CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

8.1 Mdantsane Correctional Centre is one of the four centres under East London Management Area. The other centres are East London Medium A Correctional Centre; Medium B Correctional Centre and Medium C Correctional Centre. The total approved bed spaces for the Management Area is 2 189 while there are 3 921 inmates of which 1036 are remand detainees and 2883 are sentenced offenders. Mdantsane Correctional Centre has an approved bed spaces of 635 inmates but there are 1313 sentenced offenders translating to overcrowding of 206.77%.

8.2 Mdantsane Correctional Centre houses 188 lifers of which 2 profiles have been submitted to the NCCS and 1 has been returned and the other 1 still outstanding the decision.

8.3 Mdantsane Correctional Centre has a post establishment of 247 but only 239 positions are filled and 8 are vacant translating to a 3.24% vacancy rate.

8.4 The Management Area of East London has a total of 44 foreign national inmates of which 31 are sentenced and 3 are remand detainees. Majority of foreign national inmates are from Zimbabwe (17) followed by Lesotho (7) and Tanzania (6).

8.5 A number of skills programmes and on the job training are offered to inmates in Mdantsane Correctional Centre and these includes sewing, computer and vegetable production. Short skills provided in the centre are; gardening and flower arrangements. For educational programmes, inmates are offered Adult Education and Training (L1- L4).

8.6 The Centre also provides the following correctional programmes to inmates:

Substance Abuse
Anger Management
Gangsterism
Sexual Programmes
Restorative Justice
Changing Lanes
Crossroads
Behaviour Modification Programme
Fraud and Theft, and
Pre-Release.

8.7 The Community Corrections Office under Mdantsane has an approved post establishment of 14 and all positions are filled. There are 635 parolees, 105 probationers and 2 awaiting trial persons under the system of community corrections. In terms of absconders, there are 71 active cases and 86 archived.

8.8 In terms of infrastructure, Mdantsane is reported to be in a fair condition.

8.9 The Management Area produces, as part of Self-Sufficiency, vegetables for offender ration and offender uniform and bedding.

8.10 Some of the achievements registered in the management area include the following:

Maintaining a zero escape record
Maintaining a zero erroneous releases
Maintain a zero unnatural deaths
Support of the Ministerial Community Outreach Projects with offender labour and artisans of the Management Area
Close working relationship and cooperation with Crime Intelligence
Detection of contrabands (Dagga) before entering centres.

8.11 Challenges identified includes:

Current shift system not conducive for number of employed officials
Overcrowding
Outdated post establishment
Poor condition of the fences in facilities
Ventilated classrooms at Mdantsane as currently teaching and learning is conducted in dining halls.

8.12 Proposed solutions to the challenges identified includes:

DCS to conclude the resolution on the shift pattern
Increase in the number of bed spaces
Review of the post establishment in line with current activities of the department
DPWI should prioritise security of correctional centres
Allocation of more funding for structural modification to accommodate the identified need for learners.

GROOTVLEI CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

9.1 Grootvlei Management Area consist of 7 Correctional Centres and 6 Community Corrections Offices. The approved bed capacity of the management area is 1 490 but the unlock total on 25 April 2022 was 2 131 resulting in 143.03% overcrowding. Grootvlei Medium A in particular has an approved bed space of 806 but the unlock total on 25 April 2022 was 1599 of which 600 are sentenced offenders and 999 are remand detainees.

9.2 The Management Area applies the following strategies to address overcrowding:

Diversion of remand detainees with application of Section 63A, Section 62F of the Criminal Procedure Act and Section 49G of the Correctional Services Act.
Placement of qualifying offenders in line with the minimum consideration requirements which includes time served, successful attendance of therapeutic/rehabilitation programmes, and positive social reintegration inputs
Attendance of JCPS priority committees, CFP meetings and interventions with the courts on specific cases
Transfer and equal distribution to other centres in the management area, other management areas in the region and other regions.
Transfer of reclassified offenders received from Mangaung to centres of origin.

9.3 In the Management Area there is only 1 child incarcerated in Grootvlei Medium A. He was not diverted to place of safety by the court because of previous aggressive crimes. Elderly offenders in the Management Area are considered in line with their sentence determined consideration period and an assessment done at age 65 years in line with release policies in place.

9.4 With regard to State Patients, Grootvlei Management Area is engaging the Department of Health regularly and the matter is a standing agenda point in the joint stakeholder meeting of JICS being held in Grootvlei Management Area quarterly.

9.5 Grootvlei Management Area has 1 429 lifers and mostly are in Medium A and Medium B Correctional Centre because the criteria at other 5 centres, mostly influenced by the infrastructure, does not allow the risk associated with lifers to be managed effectively at the other centres. There are 49 profiles submitted to the NCCS and are pending.

9.6 The Correctional Facilities in the management area are very old and dilapidated, this include some of the buildings used for Community Corrections offices and other administrative and official living quarters. The dilapidated infrastructure in the management area is impacting on the allocated budget on day to day maintenance which was recorded as R1 523 897 at the end of the financial year 2021/22.

9.7 The relationship between DCS and DPWI in Grootvlei Management Area is said to be unsatisfactory. This is because there have been several disruptions in the finalization of the DPWI project due to subcontractors not being paid as per their account. This led to subcontractors downing tools in the middle of a project and leaving the facility and premises at time without water. In other instances, contractors appointed by DPWI are not compliant with Occupational Health and Safety precautions whilst performing repairs. Storm water drain covers are sometimes removed without being placed back and no signage placed to indicate danger ahead, no effective and visible supervision of contractors by DPWI whilst on site which means DCS must often engage with contractors directly.

PART II

COMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

KUTAMA-SINTHUMULE CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

10.1 The Committee is concerned that there are less female officials in the structure of the facility. The facility is requested to ensure that they comply with government’s employment equity plan.

10.2 The Committee has noted the number of foreign nationals incarcerated in the facility and has requested the management of the facility to submit statistics on crimes committed by foreign nationals who are incarcerated in the facility.

10.3 The Committee has also noted that Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre spend R412.19 per offender per day.

10.4 The Committee also noted that the ratio of officials to offenders in the facility is 1:30.

10.5 The Committee is concerned about usage of the term ‘mental illness’ in the facility which, the Committee believes it might be misleading because there are those offenders who might only be seriously depressed. The Committee request the Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre and the Department of Correctional Services should look at reviewing the term ‘mental illness’ in correctional facilities.

10.6 The Committee is seriously concerned that the fire extinguishers are not being serviced. The Department is requested to ensure that regular inspections of fire extinguishers is carried out and that they are serviced as required. The Committee request DCS in Barberton to submit a report by June 2022, detailing progress made by DPW&I in servicing fire-extinguishers

10.7 The Committee has committed that, together with DCS, they will look at the contractual covenant of Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre.

10.8 The Committee is impressed with what they have observed in Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre during their oversight visit and acknowledge the cooperation between DCS and Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre.

THOHOYANDOU CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

10.9 The Committee noted that challenges experienced by Thohoyandou Correctional Centre are related to failure by DPWI to do their work. The Committee believes that, it is extremely unfair that DCS have extreme operational problems as a result of DPWI.

10.10 The Committee was disturbed to hear that the centre used cooler box with ice to store medication because generators are not working at times.

10.11 The Committee noted that, as compared to Kutama-Sinthumule which spend R412,17, DCS is spending R307 per offender per day in Thohoyandou Correctional Centre.

10.12 The Committee also noted that, as compared to Kutama-Sinthumule with the staff to offender ratio of 1:30, the ratio in Thohoyandou Correctional Centre is 1:44. The Committee is concerned about the staff to offender ratio of Thohoyandou Correctional Centre and calls upon DCS to make necessary interventions, as this might put the lives of officials at risk.

10.13 The Committee request DCS to submit information promised by DPWI within Seven working days of receipt of this report.

10.14 The Committee believes that, DPWI continue to make themselves irrelevant as almost all departments and MPs question their existence. The Committee further calls upon the DPWI not to treat a security department the way they are treating DCS.

10.15 The Committee will convene a meeting between DCS and Department of Justice to check how can offender labour be used and maximized to the benefit of both departments. In addition, the Department of Trade and Industry will also be invited because they have artisans in their department.

10.16 The Committee was not happy with the kind of responses received from officials of Public Works and Infrastructure. The Minister of DPWI will be requested to provide Parliament with an assessment of officials of the department.

10.17 The Department of Correctional Services is requested to submit a plan of action on what they will be doing with regard to offender labour in Thohoyandou Correctional Centre. This plan of action should have clear time frames and should reach the Committee by 30 June 2022.

10.18 The Committee is concerned about vetting of contractors employed by DPWI.

TZANEEN CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

10.19 The Committee was concerned about the number of absconders in the system of Community Corrections. This will contribute to the community having less faith in the parole system.

10.20 The Tzaneen Correctional Centre is less than two years old since it opened but already there are water leakages and door system malfunctioning.

10.21 The Committee request DPWI to provide a written report on the Tzaneen Correctional Centre project from start to finish including reasons for the delay. The report should reach the Committee by 30 June 2022.

10.22 DPW&I Director should provide a report on action she will take against an official who mislead her. This should be submitted to the Committee by 30 June 2022. If there is no report, the DG would then have to submit a report on what action will be taken against the Director.

10.23 The Committee is concerned about the issue of malfunctioning doors at the facility and the National Treasury says the DCS and DPWI must stop the project. The Acting National Commissioner should interact with the DG of National Treasury to assist DPWI to speedily resolve the malfunctioning door matter.

10.24 The Committee request DWPI to submit a maintenance plan for the Tzaneen Correctional Centre. This should reach the Committee by 30 June 2022.

GROOTVLEI CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

10.25 The Committee was concerned about the amount of contrabands confiscated in the facility especially dagga and drugs and believes that there is a serious need for an X-ray machine to be installed.

10.26 The Committee was also concerned that the facility does not look clean despite the fact that there are offenders who could be used to clean the facility. The management of the centre is requested to ensure that offenders are utilized to clean the facility.

10.27 The high number of State Patients in the Management Area was a cause of concern for the Committee and urges the Department to work with the Department of Health in looking into this matter.

10.28 The Committee was also concerned about the high number of absconders in the system of Community Corrections under the Management Area of Grootvlei.

10.29 The Committee appreciated the honesty and the detailed information provided by the Area Commissioner and her management team despite the fact that this was an unannounced visit.

MANGAUNG CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

10.30 The Committee was informed that the ratio between officials and offenders in Mangaung was 1:60. The Committee was concerned that this number is quite huge given the fact that the facility houses maximum offenders and there is a lot of gangsterism.

10.31 The Committee also noted that, as compared to Kutama-Sinthumule which spend R412.17 per offender per day, Mangaung Correctional Centre spend R435,44 per offender per day.

10.32 The Committee was also not happy to note that the centre does not comply with the employment equity plan set by the Department of Correctional Services and request the management of the centre to take appropriate steps to address this.

10.33 The Committee recommends that the management of the centre should take steps to invest in skills development of offenders, entrepreneurship, leadership and management.

10.34 The Committee was impressed with the way the centre is being operated.

ST ALBANS CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

10.35 The Committee was not happy to note that the centre did not have a back-up generator readily available. The Centre is requested to prioritize the issue of back-up generator.

10.36 The Committee was concerned about contrabands finding their way into the centre and some officials being involved especially during COVID-19 period because they were not searched. The Committee urge the Department to ensure that consequence management is implemented to those officials found guilty of any wrong doing in the centre.

10.37 The Committee noted that gangsterism was rife in the maximum centre which houses offenders who committed very serious offences including murder, rape and GBV related offences.

10.38 The Committee also raised concerns regarding contractors leaving projects unfinished especially in a security department like DCS. DPWI is urged to do a thorough vetting of contractors doing projects in correctional centres.

10.39 The Committee recommends that, there should be an inter-departmental collaboration between Department of Correctional Services and Department of Human Settlement to address the issue of informal settlement emerging near the facility.

10.40 The Committee welcomed the sound relationship between DCS and DWPI since in most cases the two departments blame each other. The Committee did not observe that tendency in this facility.

10.41 There is an urgent need to attend to the leaking rook at remand facility.

10.42 The Committee observed that majority of officials are females and that make them soft target to bring contrabands. The Department is requested to look into this matter, but also to ensure that in the process, no victimization occur.

10.43 The Committee committed to send a delegation to do an unannounced visit sometime in August 2022 to monitor progress on the current renovation project.

10.44 The Committee commended the official in centre for being open and honest in terms of their responses during this oversight visit.

10.45 The Committee has committed to make a follow up unannounced visit at the centre to track progress on some of the commitments made.

MDANTSANE CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

10. 46 The Committee was concerned about the number of absconders within the system of Community Corrections.

10.47 The Committee noted the need for R4 billion to renovate facilities in the region to ensure the life span of correctional centres is expanded. However, the Committee was concerned about the amount of irregular expenditure in the department each year as reported by the Auditor-General.

10.48 The Committee was also concerned about the vacancies in the centre and encouraged the management to ensure that filling of those vacancies becomes a priority.

10.49 The Committee requested DPWI to priorities the issue of security fence in the centre.

10.50 The absence of the contact visit areas in the centre was also noted as a concern by the Committee.

10.51 The Committee also raised concern about the absence of ventilation classes and usage of dining halls as classes for offenders.

Report to be considered

Documents