Correctional Services tackles smuggling and overcrowding issues

The Department of Correctional Services has plans to address smuggling and overcrowding in correctional facilities, with Minister Dr Pieter Groenewald revealing this during a visit to KwaZulu-Natal. 

Groenewald said that following a prison raid, they try to determine which officials were involved in smuggling contraband and disciplinary action is taken. 

“Since I became the minister, 155 officials’ services were ended with Correctional Services because they were part of contraband smuggling,” Groenewald said. 

“The actions we are taking, of course, depend on what we find. If it is drugs, for instance, we call the police to come in and they lay further charges.” 

Groenewald said that in July, Correctional Services National Commissioner, Makgothi Thobakgale, conducted seven raids. 

“We do identify the hotspots, and if you look at some annual statistics, more than 40,000 cellphones have been confiscated,” Groenewald said. 

He said that they are cleaning their facilities because the more contraband they can get rid of, the more proof they have that they are doing their job well. 

“So we will continue with that, we will even increase the raids, and the people must understand that it is prohibited, and we will act accordingly,” Groenewald said. 

On overcrowding, Groenewald said they have admitted it is a huge problem. In Parliament, he has responded several times. They also account to the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services in Parliament. 

“Our main problem is actually when it comes to remand detainees. We have people in our facility who are awaiting trial for more than 10 years. There are six of them. Now that is part of the criminal justice system. There are ways, in terms of legislation, where we can request and go back to court, but it’s not very successful,” Groenewald said. 

He also said they have about 3,000 remand detainees who could not afford the bail of R1,000 or less. 

“There’s a process trying to establish a bail fund where we can try to do that,” Groenewald said. 

Additionally, about 26,000 foreigners are in correctional facilities. Approximately 13,000 are remand detainees. 

“I am in the process, and I say that I’m on record that I hope next year this time that we have legislation in place where we can deport them back to their countries of origin. Foreigners are actually costing the taxpayer R11 million per month, and we must send them back to their own countries of origin so that we can save money again. If they want to continue with their criminality, they must do it in their own countries,” Groenewald said. 

thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za