More than 12 000 foreign nationals awaiting trial amid overcrowding crisis

CORRECTIONAL Services Minister Pieter Groenewald has disclosed that 12 037 foreign nationals are currently awaiting trial in prisons across the country for contravening the Immigration Act.

- MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA

The number of foreign prisoners waiting for trial constitutes 19% of the remand population in the country's prisons.

Groenewald revealed this when asked during a question and answer session in the National Assembly whether he intended to initiate bilateral engagements with the South African Development Community (SADC) countries to deport offenders who were foreign nationals to alleviate overcrowding in correctional facilities.

"Currently, there are no bilateral agreements with neighbouring countries due to the fact that South Africa does not have enabling domestic legislation to regulate and facilitate the transfer of sentenced foreign offenders, including South Africans incarcerated in foreign countries, to serve their sentences in their countries of origin," he said.

This is taking place as the country's prisons are bursting at the seams with sentenced prisoners totalling 104 000 inmates in facilities that cater for 108 000 beds.