Hon Deputy Speaker, we would like to thank the Minister for taking Parliament into her confidence with her statement; and I would like to thank her for the courtesy of informing me of this incident on Monday evening. What happened in Harrismith on Monday is extremely serious and needs to be seriously interrogated.
Even a single offender who escapes from prison is one too many. In this case, 41 people escaped and this comes shortly after another incident in Durban Westville in February, in which nine people escaped, and another in Newcastle in March in which four inmates escaped.
We note that the Minister is to undertake a risk assessment of all correctional centres. With respect, this was done a couple of years ago. As a result, over the last five years, the Department has spent hundreds of millions of rands on improving security in our prisons. Many are now surrounded by as many as three fences, some electrified. Movements of inmates and staff are supposed to be carefully monitored and controlled by CCTV and access control mechanisms.
We can have as many risk assessments as we want, but these mechanisms will only improve security and prevent escapes if they work properly, and if we have trained people to operate them. In many centres, the turnstiles that should be electronically operated are now only padlocked, either because they don't work or they haven't got staff to operate them. It is scandalous to have this equipment that is quite simply not operational, but was acquired at vast costs.
Secondly, there is invariably a link between escapes and human error. Officials do not always follow procedures; they become lax, are undisciplined and arrive late or book off sick. And sometimes the so-called human error is actually caused by corrupt collusion with the inmates.
For that reason, we are pleased that some of those responsible for the incident at Harrismith have already been dismissed and others face action following the investigation. It is only when officials know that there will be definite consequences for an escape in which there is complicity, that we can stop escapes. And if the investigation finds that there was corruption involved, the officials concerned must be charged and face the full might of the law.
We quite simply cannot afford to let this happen. Our country already has an astronomically high crime rate. When inmates escape, police are then forced to track them down and arrest them, often at great danger to themselves. When inmates escape, they reoffend and commit more crimes, with the result that more South Africans are robbed, raped and murdered.
We hope and trust that those who are still at large will be rearrested quickly, and we are looking forward to the Minister informing us when the results of the investigation are known. I thank you. [Applause.]