Date: 29/03/2006
Source: Department of Correctional Services
Title: Jacobus: Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services meeting


    Statement by Deputy Minister L Jacobus on behalf of Ministers N Balfour to the meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services

The Minister of Correctional Services N Balfour (MP) has noted the invitation from the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee to avail himself for a further discussion on the strategic plan and budget (Vote 20) of Correctional Services.

It is unfortunate, however, that the date coincides with a meeting of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster (JCPS) Cabinet Committee where the Ministers are discussing the Government Programme of Action for 2006/07. The Minister has requested me to inform the Committee that for this reason he regrets that he is unable to attend this meeting.

The Minister does, however, wish to place on record that due to the seriousness of the project of construction of correctional centres for government and the Department, he would have loved to attend the meeting to interact with Members of this Committee personally. He has also noted with grave concern that the matter has, over the past week, been carried in the media in a manner that can only be described as inaccurate.

It is the view of the Minister, the management of the Department and myself that an urgent intervention is needed to clarify the misconceptions that have been created as a result of the negative reporting on this matter. In this regard, the Minister humbly requests the Chairperson to, at a the earliest available opportunity, convene a special meeting where the Department will present another comprehensive progress report that will provide details on the status of the four correctional centres whose construction was announced in 2002 as well as the additional four that have been announced by the President in his State of the Nation Address in February this year. Representatives from the Department of Public Works and National Treasury, as partners in this project, will be invited to attend this special meeting.

In the meantime, however, the Minister would like to once again dispel the inaccuracies that have been made about the project and that there has not been any reallocation or movement of funds from the budget of the construction of the new centres to other projects.

We would like to conclude by emphasising that the department is ready, able and committed to use the construction of correctional centres and other projects to contribute to economic growth and development.

Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
29 March 2006