The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services has raised concerns about staffing shortages and overcrowding at Barberton Maximum Correctional Centre and Barberton Town Youth Centre after an oversight visit to Mpumalanga on Wednesday.
Staffing gaps
Committee chairperson Kgomotso Ramolobeng said the department of correctional services must urgently fill funded posts, pointing to 20 vacancies at the youth centre and 46 vacancies at the maximum facility.
“We are concerned because 46 is an extremely high number,” she said.
“We, as the portfolio committee, are very clear that where there are funded posts or vacancies, you ought to fill them.”
She added that the department should plan better for retirements, which are known in advance.
151% overcrowding pressure
Ramolobeng said the overcrowding at Barberton Maximum Correctional Centre was deeply troubling.
The facility has a bed capacity of 780 but currently houses 1 183 inmates, pushing occupancy to 151%.
She said the numbers become even more alarming when considered alongside the vacancy rate.
Clean but under pressure
The committee visited the kitchen, medical unit, remand detainee section, sentenced offenders’ section and educational facility at both centres.
It commended the cleanliness and general upkeep of the facilities, saying they were fairly clean and well maintained despite the large inmate population.
The committee also noted self-sustaining projects at the youth centre, including woodwork and a thriving garden patch.
Eager for education
The committee praised the education programmes at the centres and urged the department to increase funding for learning and skills development.
Ramolobeng said many inmates appear eager to improve their lives before reintegration, but the resources available are limited.
“It seems like inmates want to participate in skills development, but the resources are limited,” she said.
Equipment and kitchen concerns
The committee also flagged broken equipment and food-preparation challenges.
At the youth centre, two freezers in the cold room were not working, while at the maximum correctional centre, five pots were faulty and two were only partly functioning.
Ramolobeng warned that the department should act before the problem gets worse.
“This needs to be addressed before more equipment breaks, and then we will need to run around, not being able to cook for inmates.”
The youth centre was also found without designated areas for inmates with specific dietary requirements to prepare their food.
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