2 days ago
We're cleaning up: Correctional services minister opens prison bakery
Correctional services minister Pieter Groenewald says awaiting trial prisoners, unemployed detainees and thousands of foreigners in South African jails are costing taxpayers millions.
'We have about six inmates who have been awaiting trial for more than 10 years. There are ways in terms of legislation where we can request for them to go back to court. But it's not very successful,' said Groenewald.
Groenewald was speaking at the opening of a bakery at the Westville correctional facility on Thursday. He was accompanied by national commissioner Samuel Thobakgale.
Groenewald said another problem which contributed to overcrowding was that more than 3,000 remand detainees could not afford to pay bail of R3,000 or less.
Groenewald said there was a process in place to establish a bail fund to alleviate this.
He said there were more than 26,000 foreigners detained at correctional facilities, 13,000 of whom were detainees.
'I hope that by next year this time the department would have legislation in place so we can deport them to their countries of origin,' said Groenewald.
He said foreigners were costing the taxpayers more than R11m a month.
'If they want to continue with their criminality they should do it in their own country,' he said.
He said with the bakery producing 3,840 loaves daily, more than 50 inmates were benefiting from the much-needed skills training for which inmates received certificates.
'That is very important because it ensues that inmates are part of rehabilitation so when they leave the prison they are self-sufficient and can reintegrate into the society,' said Groenewald.
He said the department wanted to set up 20 bakeries in correctional facilities by 2028.
'We serve the people of South Africa to the benefit of taxpayers. With this initiative we are able to save around R3m annually on the bakery,' said Groenewald.
He said the department had spent more than R7m to build and establish the bakery, which he deemed to be a investment.
'A loaf of bread costs us R8 compared with the R23 we were paying external suppliers,' he said.
