Speaker, at the beginning of this calendar year, the Department of Correctional Services unveiled a state-of-the-art prison in Kimberley.
The Kimberley Correctional Centre boasts some of the most up-to-date facilities so that the successful rehabilitation of inmates is made possible. This is in line with the primary objective of the White Paper on Corrections.
Having said this, we are very concerned by the report of yet another incident of destruction of state property by six offenders who are accused of setting mattresses on fire in one of the cells this past Saturday.
It is unacceptable that this brand-new facility has witnessed two incidents of destruction of property by ill-disciplined prisoners, possibly with the collusion of prison officials.
We urge the Minister and the department to get to the bottom of the causes of this latest incident, with harsh corrective steps to be meted out to all individuals found guilty of negligent and/or criminal behaviour.
This should include the dismissal of the departmental officials involved and the transfer of the guilty inmates to maximum security facilities. I thank you.