Motsamaisi wa Dipuisano, Batlatsi baMatona, ntate Nel le mme Mkhize, le maloko a hlomphehang a Ntlo, e re ke nke monyetla ona, ke amohele baeti ba rona ho tswa polokehong ya batshwaruwa. Ntho ya mofuta ona o tla e bona feela mmusong wa ANC moo ho nang le maikemisetso a ho hlabolla batshwaruwa. Ke boele ke nke monyetla hape ho lakaletsa bakgethwa ba babedi ho tswa ho Lefapha la tsa Tshebeletso tsa Tlhabollo ya Batshwaruwa, ntate Moyane le ntate Sokhela ka mosebetsi wa bona oo ba o kgethetsweng.
Modulasetulo, baholoholo ba rona ba buile kgale Kliptown sebokeng sa batho, hore Aforika Borwa ke naha ya rona bohle, ba batsho le ba basweu. Ha ho mmuso o tla e busa ha o sa itshetleha pusong ya batho ka batho molemong wa batho. Ba ile ba toboketsa ka hore batho bohle ba tla lekana pela molao.
Selelekela sa Molao wa Motheo se hlokomela ho hloka toka ha nako ya ho feta. Se tlotla ba ileng ba hlekefetswa boitsekong ba tokoloho ya naha ya rona, le ho hlompha ba sebeditseng le ho ntshetsa pele naha ena. Maikemisetsong ana a ho aha naha e sa kgetheng motho ho ya ka morabe kapa ka bong, ho a hlokahala hore Ditekanyetso tsena di tsepamise maikutlo dinthong tse salletseng morao, tse re hopotsang moo re tswang teng.
Ha ho a lekana hore re be motlotlo feela ka Molao wa Motheo o sirelletsang ditokelo tsa botho, le hore melao ya kgatello ya nakong ya ho feta e fedisitswe. Empa ho a na le ba bang boramolao le baahlodi makgotleng a rona a dinyewe, ba hulanyang maoto ho kenya tshebetsong diphetoho tse molemong wa puso ya tokoloho. Ho na le boramolao ba neng ba sireletsa mmuso wa kgethollo, ba unneng molemo maanong a wona, ba rutilweng ho nyenyefatsa batho ba batsho, ba fumanang ho le thata ho amohela puso ya ANC. Hoo, ho bonahala ho tse ding tsa diqeto tse nkuwang makgotleng a dinyewe. Ha re buelle disenyi empa re re molao o sebetsane le disenyi ka botlalo. Ho na le dinyewe tse ding moo o tla fumana batho ba batsho ba entse ditlolo tse nyane tsa molao mme ba ahlolwa ho sa natswe boholo kapa bonyane ba ditlolo tse jwalo tsa molao. Empa, makgowa moo a bolaileng batho ba batsho teng, a bolela hore a ne a nahana hore a bona ditshwene, ho thwe a ilo lekolwa boko pele a ahlolwa. Re utlwisisa ho ikemela ha makgotla a dinyewe empa ho ke ke ha ba le nnete.
Ho lebelletswe hore re thole ha makgotla a dinyewe a nka qeto e kgahlano le hore re se ke ra bina dipina tsa ntwa ya boitseko. Re hlompha tataiso e tswang mokgatlong ya hore re itshware, empa re tla bina ho sa kgathaletsehe hore na qeto ya lekgotla e reng.
Ditekanyetso tsena di tlamehile ho hlokomela hore diphetoho tse tlamehileng ho ba teng tsamaisong ya toka di kenyelletsa batho ba batsho, ba mmala, Maindia, bomme ka ho otloloha le batho ba sa itekanelang. Re thoholetsa qeto e nkuweng ya hore ho be le motho wa mme eo e leng Mopresidente wa Baahlodi.
Ditekanyetso tsena, di tlamehile ho netefatsa hore difeme tsa babuelli tsa batho ba batsho di una molemo dikonterakeng le mesebetsing yohle ya mafapha a mmuso a hlokang ditshebeletso tsa semolao. Hona ho tlamehile ho tsamaya le kwetliso ya maemo a hodimo eo ba tlamehileng ho e fuwa sekolong sa molao hore ba be maemong a ho phethahatsa boikarabelo bona ka bokgabane. Ditekanyetso tsena di tlamehile ho thusa lefapha hore le be le dikamano tse ntle le diyunibesithi tsa naha ena hore dithuto tsa molao tseo di fanang ka tsona e be tse nyallanang le tjhebelopele ya semolao ya naha ena. Kwetliso ya boramolao makgotleng a dinyewe e tlamehile ho ba thusa ho qeta dinyewe ka potlako hore ho se be le tshubuhlellano ditjhankaneng. Mokgwa wa ho kgutlisetsa dinyewe morao ntle le hore batshwaruwa ba itlhahise kgotla o lekolwe mme makgotla a dinyewe a hlongwe ho ya ka moralo wa makgotla a metse. E se eka lefapha le ka atolosa letsholo la lona la "re se re fihlile", hore ditshebeletso tsa Mookamedi wa Lekgotla le Phahameng la dinyewe, di fihlelle mahaeng.
Ditekanyetso tsena, di boele di netefatse hore makgotla a dinyewe a potlakisa ditshebeletso tsa ditjhelete tsa tlhokomelo ya bana, haholoholo dibakeng tsa mahaeng. Dibaka tsa thuso tsa mahlatsipa a tlhekefetso le peto tse jwaloka sebaka sa tlhokomelo sa Thuthuzela di eketswe. Re thoholetsa lefapha ka mekutu eo le e entseng twantshong ya tlhekefetso ya bomme le bana. Yona e akaretsa hore bana ba emetseng dinyewe di fele, ba se kwallwe le batho ba baholo; ho kenngwa tshebetsong ha Molao wa Tshireletso ya Bana; ho thuswa ha mahlatsipa a tlolo tsa molao; ho ahwa ha makgotla a dinyewe a sireletsehileng le ho lokisa a boemong bo sa lokang; ho lwantshana le ho nyamela ha mangolo a samane; le ho lwantshana le basebeletsi ba lefapha ba nang le bobodu.
Ditekanyetso tsena, di thuse lefapha ho potlakisa le ho phethela mosebetsi le ditlhapiso tse saletseng morao tsa mahlatsipa a tlhekefetso ya ditokelo tsa botho, o etswang ke Komiti ya Tshwarelo, TRC. Lefapha le tlamehile ho lekodisa mosebetsi o etswang ke Komishene ya Bomagiseterata, haholoholo ho fanyehwa mosebetsing ha bomakgiseterata ho ya ka ditlolo tsa molao wa boitshwaro tseo ba di entseng.
Re ela hloko lerata le etswang mabapi le diphetoho tse mothating wa ho etsahala tsamaisong ya toka, hammoho le ho kena dipakeng ha Letona le Mopresidente. Re tshepa hore tataiso ya bona e tla kgotsofatsa bohle ba nang le thahasello tsamaisong ya toka.
Ha e le diphetoho tse molemong wa tsamaiso ya toka naheng ena, lefapha le se ke la qeaqea ho di kenya tshebetsong. Re tla di tshehetsa ka hohle- hohle. Re utlwisisa bohlokwa ba ho fuwa monyetla wa ho hlophisa dipapadi tsa Mohope wa Lefatshe mme re hlokomela hore ditlokotsebe tse tswang dinaheng tse ding le tsona di tla be di le ka hara naha ena. Ka hona, re tshepa hore lefapha le ikemiseditse ho sebetsana le batho ba tlang ho tlola molao.
Tlhabollo ya batshwaruwa ke e nngwe ya boikarabelo bo boholo boo Lefapha la Tlhabollo ya Batshwaruwa le shebaneng le bona. Ditjhankane tsa naha ena di tletse batshwaruwa ba iphumanang ba le ditlamong ka lebaka la ditlolo tse fapaneng tsa molao. Nnete ke hore, pele batshwaruwa kaofela ba tlola molao mme ba iphumana ba le moo ba leng teng, ke karolo ya setjhaba. Ditlolo tse fapaneng tsa molao tseo ba di entseng, di hlekefeditse sona setjhaba sena seo e tla re ha ba qetile kahlolo ya bona, e be ba kgutlela ho sona. Potso e ba hore: Na ba kgutlela e ntse e le mashodu a ilo utswa hape na, kapa ba kgutla ba fetohile e le baahi ba hlomphang setjhaba le molao wa naha na? Ke karolo efe eo setjhaba se tlamehileng ho e bapala ho hlokomela hore ka nnete ha ba kgutla, ba kgutla ba hlabolohile?
Dibakeng tse mmalwa tsa polokeho ya batshwaruwa tseo re di etetseng jwaloka komiti, ho tletse bana ba batjha, ba tlilo dula nako e telele moo. Ditekanyetso tsena di tlamehile ho thusa lefapha ka moralo o tla etsa hore tlhabollo ya batshwaruwa e fuwe maemo a hodimo. Mosebetsing o babatsehang oo lefapha le o etsang, le tlamehile ho hokahana le dikereke, dikolo, mekgatlo ya setjhaba le borakgwebo, ho bontshana hore na mmoho ho ka etswang ho hlabolla batshwaruwa. Molao wa Motheo wa naha ena o sirelletsa ditokelo tsa batho bohle ho kenyelletsa le bona batshwaruwa. Tshubuhlellano e ka hara ditjhankane tsa naha ena, e sitisa le matsholo a tlhabollo hore a kene tshebetsong ka ho otloloha. Ho subuhlellana hona ho etsa hore basebeletsi ba ditjhankane ba hlolehe ho tsepamisa maikutlo a bona hodima tlhabollo ya motshwaruwa ka mong.
Bongata ba palo ya batshwaruwa bo kgahlano le palo e nnyane ya basebeletsi ba lefapha. Sena se etsa hore ho se be bobebe hore ho tsepamiswe maikutlo tshireletsong, mme e be batshwaruwa ba a baleha. Ba bang ba thuswa ke bona basebeletsi ba tjhankane mme ba jwalo, lefapha le tlamehile ho sebetsana le bona. Dikgeo tse teng di tlamehile ho kwalwa mme ho hirwe batho ba nang le boiphihlelo ba tsamaiso. Ba seng ba ntse ba sebetsa, ba fuwe meputso e hantle hore ba se ke ba sheba makgulo a matala, ba qetella ba tsamaile. Ditekanyetso tsena, di tlamehile ho thusa ho hohela batho ho tla tshehetsa lefapha.
Re thoholetsa lefapha ka meaho eo le e ahileng le eo le e lokisitseng mme re re ho potlakiswe ho ahwa e meng, le ho lokisa e meng ho fedisa tshubuhlellano.
Sebaka seo batshwaruwa ba dulang ho sona, le moo ho phehelwang dijo ho se seng sa dibaka tseo re ileng ra di etela mane Eastern Cape, ke mahlabisa dihlong. Tlaleho eo re ileng ra e fumana ke ya hore ho se seng sa dibaka tsena tsa polokeho, batho ba sa itekanelang kelellong ba kwalletswe mmoho le ba nkang hantle, mme ha ho na tiisetso ya hore ha ho kotsi e tla hlaha.
Re ananela maikemisetso a lefapha a hore ba se kwalle bana le batho ba baholo, e leng kamoo molao o hlokang kateng. Ditekanyetso tsena di tlamehile ho lekola taba ya bomme ba iphumanang e le baimana, le ba kwalletsweng le bana ba bona ba banyane. Ho bohloko ho bona ngwana a holela tjhankaneng ka lebaka la tlolo ya molao e entsweng ke motswadi. E se eka ho ka ba le mokgwa oo ka wona ba ka iswang dibakeng tse ding tsa polokeho.
Tshebediso ya batshwaruwa e le o mong wa mekgwa ya ho ba hlabolla, e tlamehile ho lekolwa le hore na moo ba sebetsang teng ba bolokehile na, ha ba tlo baleha kapa ho baka mathata. Ditekanyetso tsena di tlamehile ho netefatsa tlhokomelo le tshwaro e ntle ya batshwaruwa, phepo e tsamaisanang le bophelo bo botle mmoho le kalafo e hantle ha ba kula. Sena se ka phethahala ha lefapha le ka hira basebeletsi ba bophelo bo botle ba tlang ho thusa ka kalafo, haholoholo ho batshwaruwa ba nang le tshwaetso ya HIV.
Lefapha le tlamehile ho lekola menyenyetsi ya ho tlatlatjwa ha batshwaruwa ke basebeletsi ba tjhankane mme dikamano di etswe hore e be tse hantle, tse shebaneng le ho hlabollwa ha batshwaruwa maemong ao a jwalo.
Re tlo amohela bahahlaudi naheng ena ya rona ho tswa mafatsheng a ka ntle, ho tla boha dipapadi tsa Mohope wa Lefatshe. Re tshepa hore lefapha le bonetse pele haholo hore ho tla kwallwa batho ba bangata, hodima tshubuhlellana ena e teng hajwale.
Ha ke qetela, Motsamaisi wa Dipuisano, ho a hlokahala hore ke kope Motlatsa Letona ho potlakisa taba e tlisitsweng ka pela hae le Letona, ke komiti ya ditletlebo mabapi le batshwaruwa ba babedi ba tjhankaneng ya Kroonstad. Re tshepa hore Letona le tla nka qeto e nepahetseng kamora ho fumana keletso ya semolao ho tswa ho boramolao ba mmuso. Ke a leboha. [Mahofi.] (Translation of Sesotho speech follows.) [Mr T M H MOFOKENG: Chairperson, Deputy Ministers, Mr Nel and Ms Mkhize, hon members of the Council let me take this opportunity to welcome our visitors from Correctional Services. This would only be seen under an ANC- led government where there is the desire to rehabilitate prisoners. Again let me take this opportunity to congratulate the two gentlemen appointed in the Department of Correctional Services, Mr Moyane and Mr Sokhela, on the work that they have been chosen for.
Chairperson, our elders said a long time ago at the people's congress in Kliptown that South Africa belongs to us all, black people and white people. No government will govern if it does not adhere to the principle of a government of the people by the people and for the people. They further emphasised that all will be equal before the law.
The introduction to the Constitution notes the lack of justice in the past. It honours those who were persecuted during the struggle for the freedom of our country, as well as recognises those who have served and helped to develop our country. The commitment to build a country free of discrimination on the basis of race or gender necessitates that the budget should focus on the issues that are still left from the past which are a reminder of where we come from.
It is not enough that we should only be proud of the Constitution that protects human rights, as well as the fact that oppressive laws of the past have been eradicated. However, there are still some lawyers and judges in our courts who drag their feet in the implementation of changes that are in the best interests of our democracy. There are some legal practitioners who defended the apartheid government and who benefited from its policies, who have been taught to behave patronisingly towards black people, and who find it difficult to accept the ANC-led government. This can be seen through some of the decisions taken in the courts.
We are not defending criminals but we are saying that the law must work in full. There are some cases where black people who have committed minor transgressions have been sentenced without considering whether it is a minor or a major offence. But in cases where white people have killed black people and say that they thought they were seeing a monkey it is said that they should be taken for psychiatric observation before they are sentenced. We understand the independence of the courts but there will never justice.
We also are expected to keep quiet when the courts decide against us singing struggle songs. We respect the guidance of our organisation that we should act with restraint but we will sing irrespective of the court's decision.
This budget must take into consideration that the changes that must be implemented in the administration of justice should take into account black people, coloureds, Indians, and women in particular as well as the disabled people. We support the decision taken to appoint a female as judge president.
This budget must ensure that black legal firms benefit from contracts and work from all government departments that need legal services. This must be accompanied by training of a high standard that they should get from law schools so that they are in a position to fulfil their responsibilities efficiently.
This budget must help the department to have good relations with universities of this country so that the law subjects they offer are in line with the legal vision of this country. The training of lawyers in the courts must help in expediting court cases in order to avoid overcrowding in the prisons. The tendency of remanding court cases without offenders being present in court should be reviewed and the courts should be established according to the plans of the municipalities. Hopefully the department will extend its campaign, Re se re fihlile [We have arrived], in order that the services of the Attorney-General reach out to the rural areas.
This budget must also ensure that the courts facilitate the services regarding child grants, especially in the rural areas. The number of places of refuge for victims of abuse and rape, such as Thuthuzela, must be increased. We commend the department for the efforts it is making in the fight against women and child abuse. These include that children who are awaiting trial should not be incarcerated in the same cells as adults; implementation of the Child Justice Act; assistance given to victims of crime; construction of courts of law that are safe and fixing those that are in a state of disrepair, as well as tackling the issue of disappearing dockets and dealing with corrupt employees.
This budget should help the department to speed up as well as to bring to a conclusion the compensation claims that are still outstanding of victims of human rights abuses from the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, TRC.
The department must evaluate the work done by the Magistrates' Commission especially concerning the suspension of the magistrates in regard to the violation of the code of ethics that they have committed.
We have observed the noises being made with regard to the imminent changes that are to be effected in the administration of justice, as well as the interventions of the Minister and the President. We hope that their guidance will satisfy all those who are interested in the administration of justice.
As far as changes that are in the best interests of the administration of justice in this country are concerned, the department must not hesitate to implement them. We will support them totally. We understand the importance of being given the opportunity of hosting the World Cup and we are aware that criminals from other countries will be in the country. Therefore, we hope that the department is prepared to deal with people who will break the law.
The rehabilitation of prisoners is one of the most important responsibilities that the Department of Correctional Services is faced with. Prisons in this country are full of prisoners who have been jailed for different types of crimes. The truth is that before all prisoners break the law and find themselves in the situation they are in, they are members of society. The different types of crimes that they have committed were perpetrated against the very society which, after they have completed their sentence, they will return to. The question is: Do they go back as thieves who are going to steal again or do they go back as changed citizens who respect the community and the law of the land? What role should society play to ensure that when they come back, they come back rehabilitated?
Several detention centres that we visited as a committee are full of youths who will be there for a long time. This budget must help the department with a plan that will make the rehabilitation of prisoners the highest priority. Concerning the excellent work that the department is doing, it must also consult with the churches, schools and civil society, as well as business, in order to share ideas about how they can rehabilitate prisoners together. The Constitution of this country protects the rights of all individuals including prisoners. The overcrowding in our prisons is stifling rehabilitation efforts from being properly implemented. The overcrowding prevents prison employees from focusing their energies towards the rehabilitation of individual prisoners.
The high number of prisoners does not correlate with the small number of prison officials. This results in it being difficult to focus on security, thus leading to in prisoners escaping. Some of them are assisted by the very prison officials and the department must deal harshly with such individuals. Unfilled positions must be filled by hiring people who have administrative competence. Those who are already working must be paid good salaries so that they do not look for greener pastures and end up leaving. This budget must help in drawing people to come and support the department.
We applaud the department for the buildings it has constructed and the ones it has repaired and we would like to say that more should be built as a matter of urgency, as well as repairing others in order to get rid of overcrowding.
In one of the areas that we visited the place where prisoners are kept and where food is prepared is an embarrassment. The report that we received was that in one of the prisons mentally disturbed prisoners are kept with normal people and there is no assurance that this is not dangerous. We welcome the department's plan that children must not be kept together with adults, which is what the law stipulates. This budget must also review the issue of women who get pregnant as well as those incarcerated with their babies. It is a sad state of affairs to see a child growing up in jail because of the indiscretions of the parent. If only there could be a way in which they could be taken to other places of safety.
The practice of employing prisoners as one of the methods of rehabilitation must be reviewed to ensure that where they are working is secured, so they are not going to escape or cause problems.
This budget must ensure the care and good treatment of prisoners, including a healthy diet as well as good care when they are sick. This can only happen when the department hires health workers who can help with health care, especially with regard to inmates living with HIV.
The department needs to investigate rumours of assault on prisoners by prison officials and thus restore good relations that focus on the rehabilitation of prisoners who are in that situation.
We will be welcoming tourists to the country who are coming to watch the World Cup. We hope that the department has anticipated that many people will be arrested, over and above the overcrowding that is already there at the moment.
In conclusion, Chairperson, it is necessary for me to ask the Deputy Minister to speed up the issue brought before him and the Minister by the grievances committee in relation to two prisoners in a Kroonstad jail. We hope that the Minister will take a decision after getting legal advice from state lawyers. Thank you. [Applause.]]