Correctional services aiming for ‘zero escapes’

Prisons in the country are planning the installation of new fences, tower posts and “modern technology” to improve security to assist officials in guarding about 140 948 inmates.

This is to reach an end goal of “zero escapes” from various correctional centres, according to the Department of Correctional Services.

This comes as correctional service centre members picketed outside the department’s Hatfield regional offices to raise their concerns about escapes, personnel shortages and stabbings at various correctional centres across the country.

“There is a lot of overcrowding at the centres, leading to stabbings of employees,” said Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) Gauteng provincial secretary Lerata Motsiri.

“This needs to be urgently addressed.”

He said currently the ratio of members guarding inmates was not sufficient.

“The department needs to employ more wardens. We cannot have a single warden escorting inmates who are sentenced for serious offences alone.

“Three officials should guard such an inmate.”

The Baviaanspoort correctional services centre in Pretoria was one of several centres in the country affected by this problem, according to Motsiri.

“The correctional service centres are not safe.”

He said further there were many incidents of inmates escaping due to overcrowding in prisons and less staff to keep guard.

“These pickets are a clear indication yet of brewing dissatisfaction among members of the criminal justice cluster who have for far too long been subjected to unacceptable working conditions and are increasingly running out of patience.”

He said the picket was a build-up to Popcru’s national march to the Union Buildings on September 20.

Here is the number of escapes and rearrests as per financial years provided by the DCS:

For the 2020/2021 Financial year:

– Eastern Cape – 10 escaped – Re-arrested 8

– Free State /Northern Cape – 11 escaped – Re-arrested 9

– Gauteng –  12 escaped – Re-arrested 2

– KwaZulu-Natal – 3 escaped – Re-arrested 2

– Limpopo, Mpumalanga & North West –  6 escaped – Re-arrested 3

– Western Cape – 75 escaped – Re-arrested 75

TOTAL: 117 escaped – Re-arrested 99

For the 2021/2022 Financial year:

– Eastern Cape – 1 Escaped – Re-arrested 1

– Free State /Northern Cape – 2 Escapes – Re-arrested 2

– Gauteng – 2 Escaped – Re-arrested 2

– -Natal – 6 Escaped – Re-arrested 3

– Limpopo, Mpumalanga & North West – 7 Escaped – Re-arrested 1

– Western Cape – 3 Escaped – Re-arrested – 3

TOTAL: 21 Escaped – Re-arrested 12

For the 2022/2023 Financial year

– Gauteng – 1 Escape – Re-arrested – 0

– Eastern Cape – 1 Escape – Re-arrested – 1

– Limpopo, Mpumalanga & North West – 1 Escape – Re-arrested – 0

– Western Cape – 3 escape – Re-arrested – 2

TOTAL: 6 Escapes – Re-arrested – 3

Correction services department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said the department was attending to security infrastructure following breaches leading to escapes and contraband being recorded.

“The department is not immune to organised crime targeting correctional centres.”

Nxumalo said that technological enhancements were required to transform security at these establishments.

The department has been paying millions to install new fences, he said

“We have started, on a small scale, to do the fencing installation ourselves. This is cost-saving and provides expertise to officials.”

Nxumalo said tower posts were also being installed.

“Tower posts offer many advantages to our security infrastructure.

“Every movement is also noticeable from an aerial position, be it disturbances outside cells or in the inside – it will l be spotted in real-time.”

He said the department was also employing more staff.

“The department is working closely with other security cluster institutions, including law enforcement agencies when conducting investigations into escapes.”

Nxumalo said the end goal was to achieve zero escapes from correctional centres.

“We believe it is achievable.”