Prisons to have cameras to ensure safety of offenders
The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services today heard that the introduction of cameras in cells and corridors at correctional facilities in the country could be introduced soon.
This is in attempt to eliminate crimes that occur in facilities after “lock-up” time, National Commissioner of Corrections Mr Zack Modise told the Committee. “This will be an attempt to rid facilities of the horrendous crimes that occur after lock-up. Discussions around this have been finalised. We have already consulted with the Human Rights Commission and the Inspecting Judge for Correctional Services. We will further engage with the National Commission of Corrections on the issue.”
The Committee further heard that all new facilities that are to be built will have cellular phone detectors to ensure that no offenders are able to use smuggled in equipment which are sometimes used to intimidate witnesses.
The number of offenders in custody have steadily been declining for several years and now stands on around 44 000 compared to the almost 70 000 a few years ago. The department indicated that they were working towards lowering the figure further to around 30 000.
The Committee heard that the department had to realign its initiatives and budgets due to budget cuts that affected all government departments. Reductions totalling R427.5 million in 2016/17, R1 billion in 2017/18 and R1.2 billion in 2018/19 have been affected against compensation of employees and goods and services.
The Committee stated that dealing with overcrowding in facilities would ensure better rehabilitation of offenders. It interrogated the budgeted amounts for offenders and said the department should be providing more programmes for rehabilitation and social integrations after inmates have been released from facilities.
The Committee has welcomed all the interventions by the department and said this would help in ensuring the safety of offenders.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Rajaa Azzakani
Tel: 021 403 8437
Cell: 081703 9542
E-mail: razzakani@parliament.gov.za
