House Chair, the ACDP has taken note of this report of the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services, as well as the negative audit outcomes, and trust this will be improved going forward.
We are also fully aware of the severe overcrowding at many of the correctional centres, which negatively impacts on attempts at rehabilitation and places the safety and security of inmates and officials at risk. The number of remand detainees, according to the Report, has significantly increased from 48 000 (in 2021) to 62 000 (in 2025). Many of the measures to reduce overcrowding are not producing desired results especially if the numbers of remand detainees continue to rise at this rate. We agree that all stakeholders within the Criminal Justice System should look at other more practical alternative solutions to supplement the current measures.
One of the ways is to deport foreigners who have committed crimes in the country to serve their sentences in their home countries. Another way is to reduce the number of awaiting trail detainees, many of whom may be not guilty of the crimes they are charged with. It often costs far more to incarcerate such detainees than the bail they owe.
With that being said, the ACDP will support this report.
I thank you.
