Chairperson, I want to say to the hon Minister that I understand that she wants to be associated with her department. However, if I look at your uniform and your epaulettes, Minister, I see you are a warden, and if I look at your collar, you are a commissioner! So, please don't go and stand in front of a mirror, because you will have to salute yourself! [Laughter.] I also want to say that I hope that next year you won't appear here in front of the House in an overall in trying to associate with your department. [Laughter.] So, that is on a lighter note, Minister.
I also want to say to the hon Smith that the message of this afternoon is the wrong message. What we are telling the criminals out there is that they should just ensure that they overcrowd the prisons, and then they will get lighter sentences. That is the message we are sending out today. That undermines the criminal justice system in South Africa and we cannot allow that.
Ons moet vir mekaar s dat daar slagoffers is vir elke misdaad wat gepleeg word. Ons moenie dink dat as dit 'n geringe misdaad was, daar nie gevolge is nie. Selfs geringe misdade het traumatiese gevolge vir die slagoffers van daardie misdade. Ons kan nie s dat ons ons op grondwetlike beginsels en die Grondwet se beskerming beroep as ons vrywillig van daardie regte afstand doen nie. Almal van ons het keuses in die lewe, en as jy die verkeerde keuse maak, agb Minister, moet jy die volle gevolge en verantwoordelikheid van jou keuse dra. Ja, omstandighede kan verskil, maar feit is dat die misdadiger self daardie keuse maak. As ek dit s en jy stem saam, moenie dan die President toejuig as hy afslag gee op vonnisse wat gelewer is nie. Moenie dan kom met die argument dat, omdat ons gevangenisse oorbevolk is, ons die gevangenes moet vrylaat en ander metodes moet kry nie. Beplan vroegtydig, vir die lange duur, om te verseker dat ons die strafregstelsel in Suid-Afrika ook sy volle verantwoordelikheid laat nakom.
Dit is so dat daar 'n herintegreringsprogram moet wees vir die mense wat daar binne is. Hulle moet daarna weer 'n bydrae tot die samelewing kan lewer. Agb Minister, ek wil ook vir u s dat u nou daarmee begin, maar dit is ook amper te min te laat. Dit is die feite. Daar is organisasies soos die Nasionale Instituut insake Misdaadvoorkoming en die Rehabilitasie van Oortreders, Nimro, wat goeie, professionele dienste lewer; wat goeie suksessyfers het. Ek wil vir u s om hierdie probleem gedeeltelik op te los, moet u sorg dat u kundige mense aanstel wat hierdie programme kan bedryf. Sorg dat genoeg mense aangestel word, gegewe die groot oorbevolking wat ons het. Dan mag dit dalk beter gaan om hul meer suksesvol in die samelewing te herintegreer. Ek dank u. [Tussenwerpsels.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[We have to say to each other that with every crime committed, there will be victims. We should not think that if it was an insignificant crime, there will not be repercussions. Even insignificant crimes have traumatic consequences for the victims of those crimes. We cannot invoke constitutional principles and the Constitution's protection if we willingly renounce those rights. We all have choices in life and if you make a wrong choice, hon Minister, you must face the full consequences of your actions.
Yes, circumstances may differ, but the fact of the matter is that the criminal himself has made that choice. If I say this and you agree, don't then applaud the President for granting a reduction on sentences that have been handed down. Don't then come with the argument that, because our prisons are overcrowded, we should free prisoners and find other methods. Plan early on, for the long term, to ensure that we allow the criminal justice system in South Africa to discharge its full responsibility.
It is also true that there should be a programme for the reintegration of the people who are inside. They should be able to make a contribution to society afterwards. Hon Minister, I would say to you that you should start with that now, but that it also almost too little, too late. These are the facts. There are organisations such as the National Institute for Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation of Offenders, Nicro, that render a good and professional service and have a great success rate. I would say that, in order to solve this problem in part, you should appoint skilled people to manage this programme. With the massive overcrowding that we are experiencing, see to it that enough people are appointed. Maybe then matters will improve as far as their successful reintegration into society is concerned. I thank you. [Interjections.]]