Correctional Services Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, accompanied by Deputy Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize, visited the Boksburg Correctional Centre on the fourth leg of their regional visits aimed at listening and familiarising themselves with Correctional Services.
Following briefing by the Gauteng Region and after visiting a youth centre housing maximum young offenders, Minister Mapisa-Nqakula expressed shock at the crimes committed by young people. She raised concern about the growing numbers of young people from as young as 15 years of age who are swelling the already overcrowded facilities many of whom have committed heinous crimes. She said her observations were awakening about the reality of the South African society that produces the calibre of young people who committed serious crimes.
Boksburg correctional houses among others 554 juveniles most of whom are maximum offenders serving up to 250 years in addition to two life sentences for very serious crimes including murder, rape and armed robbery. During the briefing by various Area Commissioners the Minister heard that of about 16 000 awaiting trial detainees in the Gauteng Region only 3 000 had bail, demonstrating the seriousness of the offences. Minister Mapisa-Nqakula said the magnitude of the problem is beyond Correctional Services, it requires the whole society to take responsibility for corrections. She made reference to her Western Cape visit where she met over 30 female juveniles 50% of whom were accused of murder.
The Minister and Deputy Minister also visited the centre's workshops that produces furniture, clothes, steel works and bread to the value of R22 million per annum for Correctional Services and other government departments. The workshops are primarily aimed at providing critical life skills and competences to offenders to enable them to lead productive lives up on completion of their sentences. The centre is also involved in a number of community development initiatives that include a poultry farm and a vegetable garden to help fight poverty among the surrounding Boksburg community.
The Minister and Deputy's visits have exposed them to a range achievements and also challenges facing Correctional Services overcrowding, gangsterism, the plight of babies with their incarcerated mothers, the HIV and AIDS as well as community rejection of some offenders qualifying for placement on parole on medical grounds. Krugersdorp Correctional Centre has a 65% overcrowding and Johannesburg is sitting at 100%. Minister Mapisa Nqakula was told of the Parole Board's placement of 25 terminally ill offenders on medical parole, five of whom could not be released due to absence of family and community support. Minister Mapisa-Nqakula emphasised the need for all stakeholders to work closely and pool their resources together in order to speed up the fight against crime.
Area Commissioners of Johannesburg, Krugersdorp, Baviaanspoort, Modderbee, Zonderwater, Pretoria, Leeuwkop and Boksburg made presentation today to the Minister, Deputy Minister and Acting National Commissioner Jennifer Schreiner.
To address the problem of overcrowding in South African centres, the Minister and Department are working closely with strategic partners in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster. The Department of Correctional Services is also adopting international best practice to address the issues of overcrowding.
The Minister has called for greater use of non-custodial sentencing options for all offenders who do not pose a threat to society. She cited Qalakabusha correctional centre as an example, where the management has established a task team focusing on the management of people charged with minor or petty crime.
The Minister and Deputy Minister will soon be visiting the remaining two regions of Correctional Services, viz: Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West as well as Free State and Northern Cape Region.
Enquiries:
Manelisi Wolela
Cell: 083 626 0304
Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
21 July 2009
