6.2 Malmesbury Correctional Centre 6.2.1 The Committee was impressed by the pre-release centre where offenders are accommodated prior to their release and where they attend a number of programmes aimed at facilitating their reintegration into society. These included work programmes, weekend parole and day-orientation programmes. A restorative justice programme run by a local religious leader and a social worker assists with reconciling victims and offenders. 6.2.2 Educational programmes are run in small groups designed for maximum success. Although a total of 375 offenders had enrolled for the various educational programmes at the start of 2009, that number had been reduced to 266 due to gangsterism, loss of interest and offender transfers to other centres. The Centre currently employs 4 teachers and 8 custodial staff who are also trained teachers, but who have had no success in having their status transferred to that of teachers. At the moment there are 5 vacancies and the shortage of teachers has resulted in the Centre not being able to implement the new curriculum. The management of the Centre explained that the moratorium on appointments affected teachers too and that until that was lifted the DCS will not be able to appoint more educationalists. 6.2.3 The Centre had both a textile and a production workshop. The textile workshop provided centres across the country with prison uniforms. Offenders also received training in basic occupational skills such as cabinet-making. The activity of the workshops depends on the demand for the products and if centres in other management areas do not place orders, activity at the workshops is affected. Offenders received a very small gratuity for their participation in work programmes. 6.2.4 The management area has received approximately R5,5 million from the DOL to train offenders in various courses aimed at increasing their employability upon release. Despite the availability of funds the DCS' implementation of such programmes is hampered by its difficulty to attract and retain artisans. Officials indicated that as was the case across the country the management area has difficulty filling their artisan vacancies. Artisans fell outside the occupational specific dispensation (OSD) for engineers and it was hoped that when the OSD for artisans was finalised the situation would improve. 6.2.5 The area's care programmes comprise social work, psychological services, spiritual and moral development, health care and HIV/AIDS programmes. Although the intention to roll these out and deliver them is there, shortage of funds, particularly the very small allocation to the development programme, was seriously impeding delivery. 6.2.6 The Medium B Centre was grossly overcrowded. As was the case at Pollsmoor many of the detainees complained of courts postponing cases and inadequate legal representation. Some reported that although charges against them had been withdrawn by the victims, some judges refused to withdraw their cases. As was the case at Pollsmoor many of the detainees had bail set, but were unable to afford it. While complaints from offenders were dealt with internally, the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services also had its role to play where complaints were lodged with them. 6.2.7 Both sentenced inmates and remand detainees made allegations of assault, intimidation and torture against correctional officials at the Centre. These were disputed and Members were assured that while inmates might not always receive the kinds of responses to complaints they wanted no assaults by officials were tolerated. The Committee nevertheless considers the allegations serious enough to warrant further investigation by the DCS. 6.2.8 Offenders in the pre-release unit complained of unfair treatment by officials and that certain offenders were given special treatment, and allowed to stay in the pre-release centre although they did not qualify for it. This allegation was disputed and the management of the Centre explained that the inmates allegedly receiving preferential treatment were in fact working at the Centre, have release dates but have been rejected by their families and therefore have no fixed address to be released to. 6.2.9 Unlike at Pollsmoor where nutrition services were outsourced, the Malmesbury correctional centres provided nutrition services and prepared food themselves. Offenders complained that meals were not nutritious. Staff explained that as they got their meat supply from local abattoirs, they could not always predict the cuts of particularly red meat they would get.