Groenewald wants to send the 27 000 foreigners clogging SA prisons home

CORRECTIONAL Services Minister Pieter Groenewald has confirmed that his department is working towards the repatriation of approximately 27 000 foreign nationals currently incarcerated in South African prisons.

- HOPE NTANZI

Groenewald emphasised that overcrowding in remand detention facilities is a critical issue, with some prisons operating at over 200% capacity.

Foreign nationals contribute significantly to the strain on the system, and efforts are underway to repatriate them to their countries of origin. However, Groenewald noted that this process requires legislative amendments, which take time.

Groenewald was responding to questions from members of Parliament during a sitting of the Peace and Security Cluster on Tuesday, where he addressed issues surrounding overcrowding in correctional facilities, particularly in remand detention centers.

The minister detailed efforts to reduce overcrowding, including the use of Section 63A of the Criminal Procedure Act, which allows the release or amendment of bail conditions for certain accused persons as a relief mechanism.

He explained that the criteria for applying Section 63A include accused persons who have been granted bail but are unable to pay the required amount and who are not detained for other offenses.

The minister also highlighted that the head of a correctional facility must be satisfied that overcrowding poses a material and imminent threat to the human dignity, physical health, or safety of the detainees.