Agb Voorsitter, as 'n mens met mense praat wat in die gevangenis is, dan is hulle almal onskuldig daar. Hulle is almal engeltjies. Maar ons weet dat hulle misdadigers is, wat 'n straf moet uitdien.
Dit is so dat daar altyd hulde gebring word aan lede van die polisie, want daar word ges hulle lewens word in gevaar gestel om misdaad te bestry. Maar, Voorsitter, ek wil vanoggend hier s ons bring ook hulde aan daardie personeel wat moet omsien na hierdie misdadigers nadat die polisie hulle gevang het. Dit is nie 'n maklike taak nie. Dit vind baie keer agter die skerms plaas, maar weet dit: Daar is waardering daarvoor.
Voorsitter, ek het ongeveer 10 jaar gelede, toe Ngconde Balfour nog die Minister was, reeds voorgestel dat prisoniers aktief besig gehou moet word. Ek het toe ges hulle moet hul eie groentetuine begin onderhou en hul eie kos produseer, want hulle is 'n las vir die belastingbetaler van Suid- Afrika, en deur hul eie kos te produseer, kan hulle daardie las verlig. Ek het gehoor daar is party plekke waar dit gedoen word, maar ek wil vir u s, dit behoort by al die gevangenisse gedoen te word om te verseker dat di mense werk en hul eie kos produseer.
Ek het verlede jaar vir die agb Minister ges die skandvlek van Korrektiewe Dienste is Schabir Shaik, en ek gaan dit nie daar laat nie. Ek wil vandag vir u s: 'n Mens hoef nie baie intelligent te wees om te weet daar was bedrog en korrupsie om te bepaal of Schabir Shaik terminaal siek is of nie. Ek wil vir die agb Minister s: Schabir Shaik spook by u, maar hy is 'n lewendige spook. Hy was nie so terminaal siek soos wat almal gedink het nie. En u moet behoorlike ondersoek instel en daardie spook nek omdraai, want as u dit nie doen nie, s ek vir u: Dit bly 'n skandvlek vir Korrektiewe Dienste.
U het reg opgetree om te s u wag vir die uitspraak van die Konstitusionele Hof. Daardie uitspraak het gekom. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Mr P J GROENEWALD: Hon Chairperson, when one talks to people who are in jail, they all proclaim their innocence. All of them are little angels. But we know that they are criminals, who have to serve out a sentence.
It is true that tribute is always paid to members of the police, because it is said that they risk their lives to combat crime. But, Chairperson, I want to say here this morning that we are also paying tribute to those staff members who have to look after these criminals after the police had arrested them. It is not an easy task. It is often happening behind the scenes, but know this: It is appreciated.
Chairperson, I had already made a proposal about 10 years ago, when Ngcondo Balfour was still the Minister, that prisoners should be actively kept busy. At that time I had said that they should start growing their own vegetable gardens and producing their own food, because they are a burden to the taxpayer of South Africa, and by producing their own food they can ease that burden. I have heard that there are some places where this is happening, but I want to say to you that this should be done at all the prisons to make sure that these people are working and producing their own food.
I told the hon Minister last year that the incident with regard to Schabir Shaik is a disgrace to Correctional Services, and I will not leave it at that. I want to say to you today: One does not have to be very intelligent to realise that fraud and corruption have played a role in determining whether or not Schabir Shaik was terminally ill. I want to say to the hon Minister: The ghost of Schabir Shaik is haunting you, but he is a living ghost. He was not as terminally ill as everybody had thought he was. And you should investigate thoroughly and lay that ghost to rest, because if you do not do that, I tell you, it will remain a disgrace to Correctional Services.
You have acted correctly by saying that you were awaiting the decision of the Constitutional Court. That decision has been made.]
Now, hon Minister, the buck stops with you. You will have to make the decision.
Ek wil vandag vir die agb Minister s: As u na gevangenes kyk, gaan kyk objektief. U moet billik en regverdig optree om te verseker dat die rels wat toegepas word, nie polities ingekleur word oor die politieke verbintenis wat iemand het of die feit dat iemand aan die verkeerde kant van die politiek was of nie. Wees billik, wees regverdig, en pas die rel toe. Dan sal daar respek wees vir u beslissings as Minister van Korrektiewe Dienste. Ek dank u. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[I want to say to the hon Minister today: If you consider prisoners, do so objectively. You should act in a fair and just manner to ensure that the rules that are being applied are not politically tainted because of one's political connections or whether or not one has been on the wrong side of politics. Be fair, be just and apply the rule. Then there will be respect for your decisions as the Minister of Correctional Services. I thank you.]