Balfour proud of his record
2008-06-05 21:30
Cape Town - The Department of Correctional Services has made considerable strides since 1994, said Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour on Thursday.
Briefing the National Assembly during his budget-vote debate, Balfour cited a sharp reduction in prison escapes and the construction of additional prisons to address overcrowding, as some of the achievements the department had registered since 1994.
"From 1995 to date we have built seven new correctional centres that include Goodwood, Malmesbury, Emthonjeni, Qalakabusha, Ebongweni and Kokstad Medium.
"We have once again reduced escapes by 14%, from 95 in 2006 to 82 escapes in 2007, sustaining a 93% reduction in escapes registered in the past 14 years," he said.
Balfour, whose term as Correctional Services Minister comes to an end in 2009, said he was proud of the achievements attained by the department under his stewardship.
'Released offenders re-offend'
"Today I stand here, for the fourth time as Minister of Correctional Services in the third term of our democratic government, with a sense of accomplishment in many respects," he said.
However, Democratic Alliance spokesperson on correctional services James Selfe said it was untrue that the department had registered any meaningful achievements.
He said: "A depressingly high proportion of released offenders re-offend, indicating that we have failed to correct or rehabilitate these individuals.
"There are shortages of staff in key areas, and corruption remains worryingly prevalent," he said.
The department had failed South Africans on a number of occasions.
"When officials conspire to assist escapes, the DCS fails us, when the construction of the new-generation prisons are delayed, the DCS fails us," he said.
Correctional Services portfolio committee chairperson Dennis Bloem said that while the committee was impressed with some of the initiatives being undertaken by the department, it was uncomfortable with the fact that the department wanted to increase the role of the private sector in new prisons.
"The committee is not convinced that this is the most-feasible option," he said.
- SAPA