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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.
The committee today 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.
The DPWI told the committee that the itemised billing was approved by the NT in terms of Treasury regulations. However, the rates approved by the NT are far below the calculated level required to achieve full cost recovery. This has led in a shortfall of R24.1 billion since the implementation of itemised billing.
The DPWI, which acts as landlord, said that it received R4.7 billion from client departments at an average of R23,24 per m2, whereas it pays the private sector R110 per m2. Annual day-to-day maintenance amounts to R2.2 billion for 56 414 buildings occupied by government and rates amount to R1.8 billion. The committee heard that in terms of the DCS, NT only allows it to pay R14.33 m2 for building space.
The committee was told that, for properties occupied by the DCS, the DPWI is running at a loss. Over the past five years, the total deficit amounts to R1.9 billion, with an annual average loss of R376 million. However, a task team is working on finding solutions to the challenges facing the two departments.
Committee Chairperson Ms Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng said the committee noted the work of the task team. She advised the task team to identify and prioritise those matters that cannot be left to deteriorate further. This should include DCS’s day-to-day operations, which require regular service and maintain. “It does not help if you have a beautiful kitchen in a centre with five or six stoves but only one is working. We saw that for ourselves in KwaZulu-Natal. In some instances, we even had to recommend that the kitchen should be shut down,” Ms Ramolobeng said.
“Once inmates are unable to eat or are given one meal a day,” the Chairperson continued, “it becomes a serious challenge.” The committee advised the DCS to continue to do maintenance and repairs and use offender labour for this. The filling of artisan vacancies was also highlighted, as they could assist offenders with repairing facilities.
The committee also agreed on the need for a meeting of heads of department between the DCS, DPWI and NT to discuss the issue of the user charge allocation. During a presentation a few weeks ago, the committee heard that more than R842 million was processed and paid to the DPWI in terms of this allocation during the 2024/25 period. However, DPWI has since relinquished the majority of maintenance responsibilities to the DCS, even though payments were made.
The committee will also invite NT to brief the committee on this matter. In addition, the committee will require regular updates from the task team on progress achieved.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.