Acting National Commissioner Zach Modise has issued a warning to all visitors to inmates to avoid breaking the law by among others disguising or using false identities.
The warning follows a brief detention of two journalists at the Durban Westville Management Area over the weekend following their illegal entry under false identified for purposes of conducting interviews with an offender. The two journalists, whose names and institution will not be named and shamed at this stage, pretended to be relatives of the inmate and were caught conducting interviews with an offender. The journalist admitted and were reported to the South African Police Services for further handling.
The Correctional Services Act (Act 111 of 1998) prohibits unauthorized publications, false representations and profiteering from publication of crimes from which offenders are serving sentences.
The Acting National Commissioner said journalists should use open channels for approval of interviews and where deemed appropriate having taken into account the interests of Correctional Services, victims of crime and offenders themselves (that must give consent to the interaction), approval will be granted. He said the primary responsibility of Correctional Services is to ensure effective and secure custody for public safety, to advance rehabilitation including the mainstreaming of victim’s needs, and social reintegration of offenders. The journalists’ disguised entry, compromised the ability of correctional officials to make informed decisions on the administration of the correctional centre and therefore the execution of the department’s mandate.
South Africa, with its entrenched human rights tradition, provides numerous levers for recourse in case applicants have grounds to believe a decline of their request was unreasonable.
Acting National Commissioner Modise urged all concerned people, including journalists, families, officials and offenders, to respect the law and assist in advancing efforts to move the delivery of correctional services forward for a safer South Africa.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 644 4050
