Somlomo, uhlelo lweparoli nokubuyiselwa kwalabo abagcinwe ezikhungweni zokulungiswa kwezimilo emphakathini, lokhu kuyinto ebaluleke kakhulu ohlelweni lokulungiswa kwezimilo, hhayi kuphela kuleli laseNingizimu Afrika kepha emhlabeni wonke jikelele.
Njengoba nje iparoli iyiyona ndlela kuphela yokukhulula kwamabanjwa kuleli, sekube khona ushintsho olukhulu kusukela ngesikhathi uma luqalwa. Lolu hlelo lungolubaluke kakhulu ekuqinisekiseni ukubiyiselwa kwamabanjwa emphakathini. Inhloso enkulu yohlelo lokulungiswa kwezimilo ukubuyiselwa ngempumelelo kwamabanjwa emphakathini. Ukungabuyiselwa ngempumelelo kwamabanjwa emphakathini sokudalele uMnyango wokuhlumelelisa kwezimilo izinkinga eziningi, ngakho ke kumele kuqinisekiswe ukuthi labo abakhululwa ngeparoli bangabantu ngampela abakufanele lokho. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Ms W NGWENYA: Speaker, the parole programme for reintegrating offenders into their communities is a very important rehabilitation exercise in South Africa and the whole world.
As the parole programme is the only means of releasing offenders in this country, there have been tremendous changes ever since its inception. This is a very important programme in ensuring that offenders are reintegrated into the community. The main objective of the reintegration programme is to ensure that the offenders are reintegrated into the communities effectively. The ineffectiveness of this programme has created many problems for the Department of Correctional Services. Caution must therefore be exercised to ensure that those released in terms of the parole programme truly deserve it.]
The ANC's January 8 Statement and the state of the nation address indicated strongly that we must ensure that every South African is safe and feels safe. The Department of Correctional Services must ensure that the safety of our people is not compromised by releasing inmates who are ill prepared for release.
Chairperson, in the same breath, let me commend the Minister of Correctional Services for saying in the Budget Vote speech last year, and I quote:
Offenders who commit further crime whilst in custody must not expect any sympathy from our parole system.
As we approve this budget as the ANC, the Department of Correctional Services must state today, without any fear of contradiction, that we expect value for money, and we are not apologetic about it.
Ngiyathemba niyangizwa njalo. [Ubuwelewele.] [I hope you hear me.] [Interjections.]
The social reintegration programme has been allocated an amount of R574 million for this coming financial year, which means an amount of R100 million was added to this allocation, compared to the 2009-10 financial year. It is noted that this programme accounts for only 3,8% of the department's budget. We further note that 96,6% of this allocation goes to the compensation of employees. I hope the department will work faster, harder and smarter to achieve the objectives of government with this budget... njengoba uMongameli uZuma eshilo. [... as President Zuma stated.] I am confident and believe that the leadership of the Department of Correctional Services is equal to the task.
I must state that the credibility of parole boards, parole in general and medical parole in particular, have been questioned from all corners. Between 2008 and 2009, only 65 offenders were released on medical parole from correctional facilities. In the recent past, the issue of medical parole has been the subject of heated debate among academics, civil society, groups, Members of Parliament ... ngisho nina qobo Malunga ePhalamende. [I am referring to you, hon members of Parliament] ... and the public in general.
I must commend the Minister of Correctional Services for her courage and outstanding leadership in handling this issue over the past year. The Minister requested the Correctional Supervision and Parole Review Board, through its chairperson, Judge Desai, to review the application of section 79 and to make proposals to the Minister with regard to medical parole in a much broader sense. I have noted that the first draft of this review was presented to the Minister and the other important stakeholders - even the portfolio committee was present - during a summit in Pretoria earlier this year. We will wait with patience for the final document of this review ... ngoba izosiza phela nalaba abagula kakhulu abalaphaya ngaphakathi ejele. [... because it will assist those at correctional centres who are extremely sick.]
We hope that some of the concerns raised by the stakeholders, especially with regard to the application of section 79, will be taken into account in this review.
Angizukuzibala lezi abazishilo ngenxa yesikhathi enginikezwe sona. [I won't touch upon those issues due to my time allocation.]
According to Prof J J Neser, preparation for an offender's release should start on the day a prisoner is admitted to prison and should be completed during the last 12 months before the prisoner's release. In its effort to prepare offenders whilst in custody, the department has developed a correctional sentence plan for offenders serving sentences of more than 24 months. Let me take this opportunity today to say to the department that the target for offenders who will have such a sentence plan in any given period is too low. More needs to be done in this respect.
Since 2004, 52 Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards have been established in South Africa. Provisions for regulating the establishment and operation of these boards are contained in sections 74 and 75 of the Correctional Services Act, Act 111 of 1998. These sections regulate the establishment, function, powers and duties of the Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards.
Section 74 of the Correctional Services Act provides powers for the Minister to establish Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards. In terms of this section, the Minister may, firstly, name each board; secondly, specify the location of each board; and, thirdly, determine and amend the area of control of each board.
The Minister is also given powers to appoint one or more Correctional Services officials. A parole board consists of a chairperson, vice- chairperson, two members of the community and one official of the department appointed by the Commissioner. At present, there are 33 parole board chairpersons and 48 vice-chairpersons, which means that there are 17 vacancies for chairpersons and four for vice-chairpersons. I hope that the department will manage to appoint all chairpersons and vice-chairpersons during the next term of the parole boards, which is coming soon. In 2008-09, only 57 761 offenders were released on parole by the Department of Correctional Services. Of course, there are a number of challenges facing the Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards in South Africa. These include case backlogs, resources, vacant positions, nonavailability of sentence plans and offenders' risk profiles, and victim involvement.
There should be a strong and clear message that it cannot be business as usual when the majority of victims, because of circumstances beyond their control, are not afforded the opportunity to make presentations during the consideration of parole applications by offenders. As a country, we need to move away from treating victims merely as state witnesses or as a source of information. More needs to be done to ensure that victims' rights to make presentations during parole hearings are exercised.
Minister Chabane, in his address on performance outcomes and measurable outputs, mentioned that managing crime perception is one of the key outputs in ensuring that South Africans are safe and feel safe. Therefore it is obvious that the way victims of crime are treated in the criminal justice system will have an impact on how they perceive crime and crime control in South Africa. Victims of crime should also feel that they are important people in the administration of justice in South Africa.
The Victims' Charter is an important document which ensures that victims remain central to the criminal justice process in South Africa. I would request the department and the parole boards to consult this important document when they make decisions.
In conclusion, we commend the role played by the stakeholders, through the services offered by them, to facilitate the process of the reintegration of offenders. We would also like to appeal for increased support for structures such as the Concerned Citizens Forums and community involvement through which, indeed, together we can do more.
The ANC supports the Vote. [Time expired.] [Applause.]