THE first sod has been turned for a maximum security prison to be built in Louis Trichardt in the Northern Province. The prison will be built as a public-private partnership and will house 3 024 inmates and create 1 500 jobs, of which 600 will be permanent. National minister of correctional services, Ben Skosana, said drastic steps were needed to reduce overcrowding in prisons. Alternatives to jail sentences were necessary, like rehabilitating women and juvenile offenders, instead of incarcerating them, he said. Vendan chief Tony Mphephu Ramabulana said he hoped the prison would mean criminals would be kept off the streets. – African Eye News Service