Honourable House Chairperson,
Speaker, the ACDP notes with grave concern the findings of the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services following oversight visits to KwaZulu-Natal and Pollsmoor Correctional Centre. These reports expose systemic neglect, administrative inertia, and a troubling disregard for constitutional obligations.
Over the past five years, procurement irregularities have involved inflated contracts and unauthorised spending. It is a consistent issue; the failure to adhere to constitutional, legislative, and regulatory provisions governing public procurement, as noted in the R1.6 billion IDT contracts. 1,679 officials were suspended in Correctional Services, with 586 dismissed for offences ranging from procurement fraud to abuse of medical privileges for wealthy inmates.
Correctional funds are not scarce; they’re just being consumed by corruption instead of correction. Those incarcerated should nevertheless must be treated with dignity – the humanity we owe one another … our LORD gives us the ‘Golden Rule’ commandment to do unto others as you would have them do to you”.
Who knows what standard of food is being served up in KwaZulu-Natal; the Committee encountered a correctional kitchen operating without a valid compliance certificate since 2020; an unacceptable breach of health and safety standards.
While eBongweni Super-Maximum Centre was commended for its contraband-free status, the broader picture revealed chronic understaffing, prolonged acting appointments, and a lack of urgency in implementing remedial measures.
At Pollsmoor, the Committee found overcrowded remand sections, under-resourced medical clinics, and vocational programmes that fail to equip inmates for reintegration. The Mother-and-Baby Unit, while commendable in intent, suffers from inadequate support structures. These conditions undermine rehabilitation and violate the dignity of those in custody.
Some studies point to resistance to change at various management levels.
The ACDP calls for immediate action: full disclosure of compliance timeframes, transparent budget allocations, and measurable targets for reintegration and rehabilitation. We further urge that the Department of Correctional Services be held accountable for persistent failures in staffing, infrastructure, and programme delivery.
Speaker, correctional centres must not become warehouses of despair. They are constitutionally mandated spaces for justice, restoration, and human dignity.
The ACDP will continue to monitor these developments and advocate for a correctional system that reflects the values of our democracy.
