Chairperson, first of all, let me support my colleague from the justice, crime prevention and security cluster. We are doing everything we can and we meet nearly every day to deal with some of these issues. Therefore, I will support you when you arrest those who commit crime. I will make space for them in my overcrowded prisons and make sure that they remain there. So, tell the police that they are doing a good job. They might be putting pressure on me; it doesn't matter, because they are doing a good job.
Overcrowded prisons are a reality in our country and they are not only the responsibility of the Department of Correctional Services. We have said many times that we can't build ourselves out of overcrowding. Even if we were to build 20 prisons, we would never be able to do that.
We are in the process of building new prisons. The more you get used to that portfolio committee, Mr Sayedali-Shah, the better your language will be. We don't have prisons any more, we have correctional centres. So, I will keep on reminding you so that you get used to that. We correct there. [Interjections.] No, you are new to the portfolio committee, that is why I am welcoming you so nicely.
There is a plan and a budget to do maintenance and upgrading of 11 new centres. We opened one in Wolmaransstad recently. I am also going to open other centres where we have done maintenance and the offenders themselves did it. We do not get anybody out there to do it, we make them work.
The criminal justice system is seized with the task of reducing overcrowding by identifying remand centres for awaiting-trial detainees. We are trying to keep awaiting-trial detainees separate from the sentenced ones, and we are using section 62(f) of the Criminal Procedure Act and also tackling case backlogs in the system.
As a department, we are doing an audit of all sentenced offenders and we are checking on the possibility of the parole boards doing more work towards paroling those who deserve to be paroled. We are also making sure that cases do not last long so that people who could be diverted from the system can go to community service. That is what we are doing. Mr Shah, the more you get used to that portfolio committee, the better you will understand how it works. [Time expired.] [Applause.]