‘I have never lied'- Groenewald tells Parliament over 3 ‘vanished' juvenile offenders

News24

2 days ago

Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald denied misleading Parliament about three juvenile offenders who disappeared from the prison system.
He appeared before Parliament's Select Committee on Security and Justice to address concerns raised in a recent report.
DA MP Nicholas Gotsell accused Groenewald of being misled by officials and attempting to shift blame to the provincial Department of Social Development.
Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald has insisted he did not mislead Parliament about the whereabouts of three violent juvenile offenders who vanished from the prison system.
Groenewald appeared before Parliament's Select Committee on Security and Justice on Tuesday morning, where the Department of Correctional Services briefed MPs on its response to the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS) 2023/24 Annual Report.
However, under mounting pressure, Groenewald faced tough questions from MPs regarding the three juveniles who were meant to be transferred to Pollsmoor Prison in 2024 but were unaccounted for during a recent oversight visit.
DA MP Nicholas Gotsell has been leading the charge for answers.
'We reject the statement by minister Groenewald, who continues to deny his department's role in the disappearance of three convicted criminals from custody. It is clear the minister is being misled by officials desperate to cover up a shocking administrative failure that endangered public safety,' he said.
READ | Blame game erupts over 3 violent juvenile offenders who vanished from system
Gotsell added that Groenewald's attempt to shift blame to the provincial Department of Social Development was disingenuous.
'That department has no role in custodial decisions, warrants, or the implementation of court orders. Those responsibilities fall squarely on Correctional Services and the courts, as clearly set out in the court order,' he said.
During the briefing, Groenewald maintained that he had relied on information provided by departmental officials.
'I did say they are in Pollsmoor, and I said there that I am responding to the information I received from the officials. Yes, it appears they were not there, and I said I would investigate the matter. If this information was given to me, there would be consequences,' he said.
Groenewald said he welcomed accountability and scrutiny.
'I am open to criticism. I encourage members to come forward with problems in our facilities. I see honourable members as the public's eyes and ears.
I have never lied to Parliament. I never misled, and if people are going to use problems for a political agenda, then I won't play along.
The minister added that both the Horizon Youth Centre and the Western Cape MEC for Social Development, Jaco Londt, should also be called to account.
'I want to reiterate that the Horizon Centre for the Youth is part of this situation. I am willing to appear here, and we also need to get the MEC here. We should not blame the shift because it's a problem between Horizon, the police, and the correctional services.
'We have a responsibility to protect communities. Of course, it's totally unacceptable that you have dangerous offenders who slip through the system,' he told the committee.
Last week, News24 reported that three juvenile offenders - convicted of murder, rape, and robbery - had disappeared from the prison system. All three, who are turning 20 this year, committed their crimes while underage.
The first was convicted of rape and was facing two additional assault charges. The second was convicted of murder, and the third of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
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They had been detained at the Horizon Child and Youth Care Centre in Eerste River between 2021 and 2024, sentenced under the Child Justice Act. After turning 18, they were supposed to appear in court for formal transfer into adult correctional facilities - but this never happened.
News24 understands that the circumstances of their release remain unclear. Two of the three have since been rearrested.
In 2023, the trio attacked four staff members at the juvenile facility, stabbing and assaulting them. Following the incident, the Western Cape Department of Social Development refused to continue housing them, and they were to be transferred to Pollsmoor Prison in July 2024.
However, during an oversight visit, Pollsmoor officials were unable to confirm their whereabouts.
At the time, the provincial Department of Social Development said the offenders were detained at Pollsmoor in terms of an interim high court order, and the department had no further knowledge of their detention or its management.
The department said the offenders have not been at Horizon since July last year.
It further said the high court order remained active, even when the awaiting trial matter related to the three individuals concluded in the magistrate's court. This means they were to continue being detained at Pollsmoor due to the continued risk they posed to the children and staff at Horizon.
The department communicated this to correctional services last month, explaining why it is important for individuals to continue being detained by correctional services as per the High Court order.