Hon Chairperson, hon Minister Ronald Lamola, Deputy Minister Responsible for Correctional Services, Inkosi Pathekile Holomisa - Aah Diliz' iintaba! - Deputy Minister Responsible for Justice and Constitutional Development - hon John Jeffreys, Inspecting Judge of Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services - Prof Johan Van Der Westhuizen, National Commissioner - Mr Arthur Fraser, senior leadership of the Department of Correctional Services, hon Members of Parliament, distinguished guests, ladies
and gentleman, good morning. Hon Minister we share your vision of making the country's correctional facilities into centres of learning and rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation of offenders and equipping them with skills reduces the risk of them reoffending after release. Tomorrow, 18 July, marks the Nelson Mandela International Day. A day set aside by the United Nations to honour our global icon, former President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. This year, Madiba would have turned 101 years old. In his honour, we owe it to him to improve the conditions of incarceration and detention in our correctional facilities
The most important aspect of the portfolio committee's work in this term of office would be to heighten its oversight role on the conditions of incarceration and rehabilitation in our correctional and remand facilities. Rule one of the United Nations Mandela Rules talks to the safety and security of prisoners, staff, service providers and visitors, which should be ensured at all times. With 37% overcrowding across the country, affecting mostly our urban correctional facilities, it is difficult to vouch that safety and security is guaranteed, especially for inmates and staff.
The number of unnatural deaths in our correctional centres has been increasing, from 52 in 2016-17 to 82 in 2017-18. The Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services, Jics, reported last year that it had seen an increase on cases related to the use of force, from 724 in 2016-17 to 995 in 2017-18. Now and again videos surface showing warders giving inmates weapons and consuming drugs. There is also a widespread gangsterism and assaults, including sexual assault, across our correctional centres. This phenomenon shows that there is still a lot to be done to improve the conditions in our centres.
We are concerned that the baseline budget cuts, which amount to about R6 billion since 2015-16 to 2020-21 are now impacting negatively on service delivery. The number of Department of Correctional Services' funded posts will over this period be decreased to be about 39 000 from 42 000. We have however been assured that there have been no retrenchments because the budget for compensation of employees has been ring fenced.
The Department of Correctional Services, no longer fills front-line service delivery vacancies, when there are retirements or resignations. The target for filling vacancies was removed from the department's performance plans since last year. Operational budgets
for the maintenance of vehicles that are used to transport inmates to court and hospitals for medical treatment and for the payment of municipal bills, such as electricity and water, and for implements in the farms and factories, have been and will be severely affected in the medium term.
These baseline cuts do not only affect the DCS but may also affect
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