THE Department of Correctional Services would need an estimated R63 billion to build new prison facilities if it was to address the overcrowding at prisons which was averaging at around 46%.
This was revealed by Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald when he was responding to parliamentary questions from Patriotic Alliance MP Marlon Vivienne Daniels, who asked about measures, particularly relating to building more prisons, that are in place to deal with overcrowding.
Independent Media previously reported that the prison population stood at 154 327 against 107 582 bed spaces, resulting in an excess of 46 745 prisoners in August 2023.
In his response, Groenewald said the need to increase the bed space capacity in prisons was receiving attention through the construction of new facilities, the upgrade of outmoded facilities, regaining of lost bed space and the refurbishment of dilapidated facilities under the auspices of allocated funding from the National Treasury.
He said the bed space capacity was increased by 2 788 beds in the period between September 2023 and July 2024.
The bed space in prisons has been on the increase as the figures Groenewald released showed that it was standing at 107 346 in July 2024, up from 104 558 recorded in 2023.
Groenewald said with an average overcrowding rate of approximately 46%, there was an urgent need to construct or regain a total of 50 000 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 1000 each.
“According to the 2022-23 Property and Construction Africa Cost Guide, the department will need an estimated capital allocation of R36 billion for the construction of new correctional centres.”
A 1 000 inmate bed space medium correctional centre would come at a cost ranging between R680 000 and R725 000 per bed-space. A 500 inmate bed space medium correctional centre would cost between R725 000 and R810 000 per bed-space and a maximum security correctional centre between R1 080 000 and R1 400 000 per bed-space.
Groenewald said the current fiscal environment was not accommodative of the prison requirement.
He said a total of 69 infrastructure projects were registered, which consisted of a combination of capital and maintenance projects.
Groenewald said in terms of building more correctional centres to address overcrowding, there were two projects that were currently under construction.
The project for the construction of a 500-bed correctional centre at Burgersdorp in the Eastern Cape was handed over to a contractor during April 2022.
“It is expected to be finalised during 2026,” he said.
Groenewald also said the construction contract at Parys in the Free State was terminated during February 2023 due to poor performance of the contractor.
“The Development Bank of Southern Africa appointed a replacement contractor during December 2023. The site was handed over and the expected completion date is 2026.”
Cape Times