PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
| |
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO: 2025
Mr V B Ndlovu (IFP) to ask the Minister of Correctional Services:
(1) Whether any policy is currently in place to shorten the time of
awaiting-trial prisoners in correctional centres; if so, what are the
relevant details;
(2) whether his department has finalised the policy that deals with
gangsterism in prisons, specifically regarding the installation of
CCTV cameras in the cells of inmates; if not, why not; if so, what are
the relevant details?
NW2330E
REPLY
1) No, there is no policy to shorten the time of awaiting-trial prisoners
in Correctional Centres because the length of detention for the
awaiting trial detainees is beyond the control of the Department of
Correctional Services as a detention institution. There is however, a
Justice Crime Prevention and Security Cluster (JCPS) protocol and an
operational policy for referral of remand detainees to court based on
their length of detention which have been developed to give effect to
the implementation of section 49G of the Correctional Matters
Amendment Act (Act 5, 2011).
The implementation of section 49G of the Correctional Matters
Amendment Act (Act 5, 2011) states that the period of incarceration of
a remand detainee must not exceed two years from the first date of
admission into a remand detention facility, without such matter being
brought to the attention of the court concerned. If the court decides
that the remand detainees must continue with detention, subsequent
referrals will be done on a yearly basis i.e., from the third year
onwards. This section has only been implemented on 1 July 2013.
2) The policy regarding the installation of Closed Circuit Television
(CCTV) cameras in cells has not been finalised. The Department is
considering various aspects such as international best practice, human
rights (privacy) matters, etc. A legal opinion on this matter has been
sought and a decision is expected to be reached within this current
financial year (2013/14).