Jail privileges cut for Xmas
2005-12-09 00:23
Cape Town - High-risk prisoners will miss out on their privileges during the festive season in a bid to preventing possible escape attempts.
The privileges of high-risk offenders will be curtailed from mid-December to mid-January.
Security at prison entrances and exits is to be drastically enhanced, and visitation rights are to be controlled.
According to Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour, no one will be allowed visitation rights without positive identification, telephone use is be controlled, prisoner recreation will be limited, and parcels coming into prisons will be searched.
Speaking at Zonderwater correctional centre on Thursday, Balfour said the "current environment" of cash-in-transit heists and armed robberies had compounded the usual difficulties experienced by members of the correctional services during the festive period.
Stringent security measures
Balfour said: "The increase in prison escapes during the festive season has necessitated a comprehensive and integrated intervention to tighten security in correctional centres during the festive season and beyond.
"We believe one more escape is one more too much, and therefore we have approved the introduction of stringent security measures for the festive season... to ensure that the high-risk detainees are safely accommodated, transported and monitored by officials vetted for integrity.
"We also wish to make an appeal for all South Africans, including inmates, families and friends of offenders, to bear with these stringent measures in the interest of public safety".
The measures have been introduced to prevent the trafficking in prohibited substances in prisons, and threats to the security of other inmates and prison staff.
- SAPA