Minister: Groenewald: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency(ANA)
Minister of Correctional Services Pieter Groenewald has revealed that South Africa needs R36 billion to build new prisons in order to address the issue of overcrowding.
Groenewald was replying to a question from Patriotic Alliance (PA) Member of Parliament Marlon Vivienne Daniels.
Groenewald said plans are underway to build new corrections facilities.
“The upgrade of outmoded facilities, regaining of lost bed space, and the refurbishment of dilapidated facilities are under the auspices of allocated funding from the National Treasury,” Groenewald clarified.
He disclosed that between September 2023 and July 2024, a total of 2,788 beds were added to jails, which increased capacity from 104,558 to 107,346.
However, he said with an average overcrowding rate of approximately 46%, there was an urgent need to construct an additional 50,000 more bed spaces.
“This requires the construction of 100 new Correctional Centres with a bed space capacity of 500 each, or alternatively 50 new Correctional Centres with a bed space of 1,000 each.”
Groenewald said according to the 2022 and 2023 Property & Construction Africa Cost Guide, the department will need an estimated capital allocation of R36 billion for the construction of new facilities.
He said a 1,000-bed medium correctional centre cost between R680,000 and R 725,000 per bed-space.
“High or maximum security correctional centres, costs between R1,080,000 and R1,400,000 per bed-space.”
He added that the current fiscal environment does not allow for such expenditures.
Currently two jails are under construction and set to be completed in 2026.
The first is a 500 bed facility in Burgersdorp, Eastern Cape, and the second project is in Parys, Free State.
simon.majadibodu@africannewsagency.com
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