Hon Minister, the average, daily awaiting-trial detainees' population remains at approximately 50 000. This pushes up the already overcrowded or overcrowding ratios in all our correctional centres and distracts the department from its core business of correcting offending behaviour and rehabilitating offenders.
In the latest annual report the department refers to the management of the remand detention project. Minister, with due respect, there has been talk of this for ages. What new, mitigating action can the Minister report in this regard and has he given serious consideration to actually privatising this function - a practice that is being followed in many other countries? Thank you.