Johannesburg: The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services today re-iterated its grave concern regarding the state of correctional facilities around the country because of insufficient maintenance due to budget shortfalls. The committee indicated that the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), and National Treasury (NT) must work closely together to find solutions to the dire condition of some facilities.
According to African Press Organization, the committee received a briefing from the DPWI on the dispute between the DPWI and the DCS about user charges and on matters identified during oversight visits. Committee Chairperson Ms. Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng emphasized the importance of the task team's work. She advised the team to prioritize issues that cannot be neglected, such as DCS's day-to-day operations requiring regular maintenance. Instances like a kitchen with only one working stove among five or six were observed in KwaZulu-Natal, leading to recommendations for shutdowns in some cases.
The Chairperson highlighted that once inmates are unable to eat properly, it becomes a significant challenge. The committee urged the DCS to persist with maintenance and repairs, suggesting the use of offender labor for these tasks. They also emphasized the importance of filling artisan vacancies to aid in the repair of facilities.
The committee agreed on the necessity for a meeting of department heads between the DCS, DPWI, and NT to address the user charge allocation issue. Previously, the committee learned that over R842 million was processed and paid to the DPWI for this allocation in the 2024/25 period, yet DPWI has since transferred most maintenance responsibilities to the DCS despite receiving payments.
Furthermore, the committee plans to invite NT to provide a briefing on this matter and will require regular updates from the task team on the progress being made.