Cape Town -Nearly half of South Africa’s correctional facilities lack adequate perimeter fencing.

According to a Parliamentary question and response posted to Minister of Correctional Services, Pieter Groenewald, he said that R1bn is required to address fencing deficiencies at 120 prisons nationwide.

This was revealed by Kabelo Kgobisa-Ngcaba, MP and DA deputy spokesperson on Correctional Services this week.

“However, the lack of specific completion dates for any of these projects, attributed to funding uncertainties, raises serious concerns about the department’s commitment to rectifying the situation,” he said.

He said adding to the concerns raised, Groenewald said the Department of Correctional Services estimated the cost of upgrading perimeter fencing at two prisons, one in the Eastern Cape and another in the Western Cape, would cost over R116m each.

He said further questions were submitted to ascertain the accuracy of these quotes and investigate any possible malfeasance.

“This deficiency, coupled with the Department of Correctional Services’ (DCS) failure to outline effective measures in its Escape Prevention Strategy, poses a significant threat to communities across the nation,” he explained.

The questions raised comes just a week after the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services’s briefing by the DCS on its action plan to comply with the Public Protector’s remedial actions on its report on the escape of Bester from Mangaung Correction Centre which was held at Parliament.

It relates to the Public Protector issuing a final report on the investigation into allegations of improper conduct by the functions of DCS relating to the escape of Bester from Mangaung Correctional Centre and in which the National Commissioner instructed a 90 day DCS Escape Prevention Strategy and Guidelines.

Queries to Minister Groenewald’s office on Thursday, went unanswered.

Cape Argus