Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to thank hon members for affording us the opportunity to make this statement this afternoon.
Between 17:00 and 18:00 on Monday, 31 May 2010, a total of 41 awaiting- trial detainees escaped from section B of the Harrismith correctional facility during lockdown time.
This escape represents by far the largest group of inmates to escape from our facilities to date. I felt it important that we should report to the House and to the South African public the known circumstances surrounding the escapes, as well as the actions that we have already taken to deal with the matter.
Upon receiving this report, the National Commissioner and I visited the centre yesterday to ascertain the facts about the escapes and how they happened. From the information at our disposal so far, it seems that during the change of shifts after lockdown on the day in question, the head of the awaiting trial detention, ATD, section allowed officials to leave early and undertook that he would conduct the handover to the next shift himself.
Not only was this decision highly irregular, but it also resulted in the facility operating under capacity, as it left a time gap between the change of shifts.
Secondly, the same head of section allowed for another irregularity when he gave permission, against policy, for an advocate to enter the holding cells to consult with a client after lockdown, without the necessary capacity to even escort this advocate safely into the holding cells.
It was after this consultation, as they tried to lock the advocate's client up in the communal cell, that the head of the section, together with another official who accompanied the advocate to section B, were accosted and overpowered by the detainees.
Now in possession of keys, the detainees then proceeded to open the other cells to release other detainees before advancing towards the administration block of the centre. The correctional official who guards the entrance gate at the admin block was then made to open the gate under the pretence that he was opening for the two officials who initially went to section B. This was as a result of the detainees knowing the code used between officials to request the opening of doors and gates.
In addition, it is important to understand that there is a peephole, and that the correctional officer did not look through the peephole to verify the identity of the people at the door. The detainees forced this official to open the gun safe, took two firearms and proceeded to the main gate where the official on duty opened the gate for them to leave.
I am particularly disturbed by the actions of the head of the awaiting- trial detention section who disregarded departmental protocol by allowing a shift to knock off without a handover, and further allowing a consultation to take place between a detainee and a lawyer after lockdown.
It has also been brought to my attention and that of the National Commissioner that some of the escaped detainees are charged with serious crimes.
We have since taken the following action: We have decided that a multidepartmental investigation should be instituted to investigate the matter further. This will also include criminal charges to be laid against those who are found to have been complicit in this incident.
It is also important to mention that by the time that we arrived there, the South African Police Service, SAPS, had already been seized upon this matter.
We have decided that the head of the awaiting-trial detention section and the official, who was at the gate during this incident, should be dismissed summarily, as of today. We have decided that a risk assessment of all our centres needs to be conducted urgently, looking at both infrastructural and human risks that lead to escapes.
I am raising this because, as much as this is a medium facility designed to accommodate inmates who are categorised as "mediums", what we have found is that, in the awaiting-trial detention section, we had inmates who were charged with violent and serious crimes and who should never have been placed in that facility in the first place.
By close of day yesterday, eight of the escapees had already been rearrested and sent back to the centre. I want to reassure you that everything will be done, both to get to the bottom of these recent escapes, and to deal with the inherent system risks to avoid these levels of escapes in the future.
We once again call upon the members of the public not to panic. We know that this is portraying us as the weakest link in the chain of the security preparations for the World Cup, however, we want to assure you that everything will be done to apprehend these awaiting trial detainees.
We also appeal to members of the South African public that, should they see these escapees, they should not approach or attempt to apprehend them, but should report them to the nearest police station. Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Deputy Speaker, we would like to thank the Minister for taking Parliament into her confidence with her statement; and I would like to thank her for the courtesy of informing me of this incident on Monday evening. What happened in Harrismith on Monday is extremely serious and needs to be seriously interrogated.
Even a single offender who escapes from prison is one too many. In this case, 41 people escaped and this comes shortly after another incident in Durban Westville in February, in which nine people escaped, and another in Newcastle in March in which four inmates escaped.
We note that the Minister is to undertake a risk assessment of all correctional centres. With respect, this was done a couple of years ago. As a result, over the last five years, the Department has spent hundreds of millions of rands on improving security in our prisons. Many are now surrounded by as many as three fences, some electrified. Movements of inmates and staff are supposed to be carefully monitored and controlled by CCTV and access control mechanisms.
We can have as many risk assessments as we want, but these mechanisms will only improve security and prevent escapes if they work properly, and if we have trained people to operate them. In many centres, the turnstiles that should be electronically operated are now only padlocked, either because they don't work or they haven't got staff to operate them. It is scandalous to have this equipment that is quite simply not operational, but was acquired at vast costs.
Secondly, there is invariably a link between escapes and human error. Officials do not always follow procedures; they become lax, are undisciplined and arrive late or book off sick. And sometimes the so-called human error is actually caused by corrupt collusion with the inmates.
For that reason, we are pleased that some of those responsible for the incident at Harrismith have already been dismissed and others face action following the investigation. It is only when officials know that there will be definite consequences for an escape in which there is complicity, that we can stop escapes. And if the investigation finds that there was corruption involved, the officials concerned must be charged and face the full might of the law.
We quite simply cannot afford to let this happen. Our country already has an astronomically high crime rate. When inmates escape, police are then forced to track them down and arrest them, often at great danger to themselves. When inmates escape, they reoffend and commit more crimes, with the result that more South Africans are robbed, raped and murdered.
We hope and trust that those who are still at large will be rearrested quickly, and we are looking forward to the Minister informing us when the results of the investigation are known. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Deputy Speaker, hon members, I would like to thank the hon Minister for bringing to Parliament the matter of the 41 escaped prisoners from the Harrismith Medium Security Prison. What happened at that prison, as the Minister has outlined, is a matter of grave concern. A breakout of prisoners of this scale is absolutely alarming. Even more alarming are the circumstances under which the breakout occurred.
Failure to observe protocols strictly is becoming common. There is a tendency for officials to act unilaterally as though they constitute the law. Lawlessness is now becoming rooted in the institutions that are supposed to be upholding the law.
From what the Minister has reported, it seems very likely that the head of the awaiting-trial detention section cleared the desk, as it were, to allow for certain irregular actions to take place, presumably at a price.
What we are witnessing here is what is happening throughout the Public Service. The system has been totally corrupted. Integrity is lacking and senior officials are ready to undermine the institutions they are appointed to.
Dereliction of duty and irregularities are destroying government institutions. The rot is everywhere. If the Minister does not clean up the Correctional Services, starting from the top, criminality and corruption will prevail in the department. Harrismith is only one sore on a sick body. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Deputy Speaker, the IFP wants to thank the Minister for immediately taking action against the head of the department. All government employees who disregard instructions from their departments and who are not observing all the relevant and applicable laws that apply to government employees, should be dealt with properly.
Why was the advocate allowed to enter the cell without the proper procedure and enough security? Is the advocate seen as part of the escapees' plan or not? If not, why not?
All escapees charged with serious crime should be reported to this House so that the House can assist the Minister in whatever action she might take. And we should undertake to help her in making it easy to explain all these things every now and then. Thank you. [Applause.]
Deputy Speaker and hon members, the UDM appreciates the hon Minister's statement and thanks her for coming before this House to discuss this matter. What we are concerned about is that there are media reports indicating that the department possessed information beforehand of a planned escape, yet did not put into place safety measures.
Thorough reviews of the problems and challenges of Correctional Services have been conducted previously. The problems that come with overcrowding, especially with regard to awaiting-trial prisoners, are well known. Regrettably, the challenges have never been adequately addressed and keep coming back to haunt us.
As the Jali Commission demonstrated comprehensively, corruption is widespread in the department. The failure to root it out lies with the leadership of the department and, as such, despite the circumstances surrounding this incident, the department is not absolved of its responsibility.
However, we highly appreciate the swiftness and decisiveness of the hon Minister and the actions that the hon Minister has taken to address this matter. Thank you. [Time expired.]
Deputy Speaker, I want to say to the hon Minister that if one wants to achieve success in life, one has to do the right thing, at the right time, at the right place. I want to congratulate the Minister. The action she took was the right thing, at the right time, at the right place. I think she sets an example for her colleagues on how one should deal with public servants who do not comply with procedures.
Suid-Afrika gaan gebuk onder misdaad, agb Adjunkminister. Die gevangenis is deel van daardie ketting om te verseker dat misdadigers agter slot en grendel bly. Daar moet verdere ondersoek gedoen word.
Ek is oortuig daarvan dat hierdie laksheid en hierdie gebrek aan dissipline nie net by hierdie een gevangenis is nie, maar dat ons hierdie probleme by feitlik al die gevangenisse sal kry. Ek vra die agb Minister om so voort te doen, om ondersoek by die ander gevangenisse in te stel, en te sorg dat die misdadigers agter slot en grendel bly. Dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[South Africa is burdened with crime, hon Deputy Minister. Prison forms part of that process to ensure that criminals stay under lock and key. Further investigation needs to be done.
I am convinced that this negligence and this lack of discipline are not unique to this one prison, but that we will encounter these problems at virtually all prisons. I call on the hon Minister to continue in this fashion, to investigate the other prisons, and to ensure that criminals stay under lock and key. I thank you.]
Deputy Speaker, the ACDP also thanks the Minister for bringing this important matter before Parliament. It is totally unacceptable that so many detainees can manage to escape from prison, thus exposing our people to danger, as we believe some of the escapees have been arrested for serious crimes.
While we agree that a high-level investigation has to be instituted to investigate this matter, there is no doubt that the officials who were on duty when the escapes took place were negligent. We would, therefore, as the ACDP, support the Minister's decision to summarily dismiss certain officials.
The possibility of corruption must also be investigated. The ACDP questions why a prison official would want to enter a cell with keys if he did not want the detainees to grab them. We also want to know why the head of the awaiting-trial detainees section allowed prison officials to leave early so that he could conduct the handover to the next shift on his own. There must have been an impure motive, hence our call for the possibility of corruption to be investigated; and we will appreciate the report back, Minister, about the results of your investigations. Thank you.
Madam Deputy Speaker, we are shocked and horrified by the report of the escape of 41 detainees, because this represents a setback to the good work done by police officers who risked their lives when they arrested those suspects. It also means that we have potentially dangerous people on the loose. Therefore, the community is at risk, and police officers once more have to go and mop up and arrest them again.
We are glad, hon Minister, that eight escapees have already been arrested. We commend you for your prompt response and urge you to do what you have undertaken to do. It is safe to say, hon Minister, that I'll always have a problem with so-called summary dismissals. Thank you.
Deputy Speaker, hon Minister, the current strategic plan of the department lists the vision of the department as follows:
To be one of the best service providers in the world by delivering correctional services with integrity and commitment to excellence. Minister, it has become very clear that there are employees who do not belong in this department; neither do these employees identify with the vision of the department, and it is our contention that the sooner such employees are identified, the better.
Part of the risk is that we just do not know who we employ in those departments, and who has the role of the safe custody of inmates. I believe that the vetting process of the Department of Correctional Service employees can no longer be delayed, and it must be completed as soon as possible.
From your statement today, Minister, it appears that collusion between detainees and department staff cannot be ruled out. I agree with Mr Selfe; not so long ago, a similar incident occurred in Durban, and there again collusion is being suspected.
Correctional Services has a pivotal role to play if we are ever to succeed in reducing crime in South Africa. And therefore, all acts that undermine the role of the department need to be dealt with speedily and decisively. We support you, Minister, for doing exactly that: dealing with this matter decisively and with great speed. However, we believe that the political authority of the Department, together with senior management, must send out a clear message that anybody in your department who is found guilty of unacceptable conduct will not be spared.
We agree with most of the speakers that spoke before us and with you, Minister, that those who were party to this incident must be criminally charged with aiding and abetting the escape of awaiting-trail detainees. Thank you.