High-risk offenders in prisons will have their privileges curbed over the festive season to prevent possible escape attempts, Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour said on Thursday.
Speaking at Zonderwater Correctional Centre, he said the ”current environment” of cash-in-transit heists and armed robberies compounded the difficulties correctional services had during festive periods.
Many offenders did all in their power to escape from incarceration, apparently in pursuit of further criminal activities over this time.
This had necessitated a comprehensive and integrated intervention to tighten security in correctional centres during the festive season and beyond, he said.
”We believe one more escape in one more too much, and therefore we have approved the introduction of stringent security measures for the festive season that will be effectively co-ordinated with our partners within the criminal justice system… to ensure that the high risk detainees are safely accommodated, transported and monitored by officials vetted for integrity.
”We also wish to make an appeal for all South Africans, including inmates, families and friends of offenders, to bear with these stringent measures in the interest of public safety,” Balfour said.
The measures included curtailing privileges enjoyed by high-risk categories of offenders, such as maximum, medium and awaiting-trial detainees, from mid-December 2005 to mid-January 2006.
Measures would be implemented to reduce the threat of escapes, trafficking in prohibited substances, and threats to the security of other inmates and staff.
Security at prison entrances and exits would be drastically enhanced, and an exceptional regime introduced to control visitation rights to various categories of inmates.
These included a prohibition of contact visits and consultations for inmates considered too high a risk.
Visits would only be conducted during week days and exceptions for weekends would only be allowed under exceptional circumstances and with the permission of the head of the correctional centre.
Families and friends should at all times carry their ID documents, as no one would be allowed visitation rights without positive identification.
Telephone use within facilities would be controlled and restricted for the duration of the festive period, and various forms of recreation, especially those involving the use of facilities outside of correctional facilities, would be limited.
Access to and acceptance of various forms of parcels usually allowed to eligible inmates would be restricted and there would be periodic and impromptu searches around and within facilities, Balfour said. – Sapa