Correctional facilities must produce own food and save taxpayers’ money - Groenewald

NEWLY-appointed Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald said he is advocating for correctional facilities across South African to produce some of their food, and save millions of taxpayers’ money.

The DFA reported earlier this week that the appointment of the Freedom Front Plus leader as the new Correctional Services Minister has been welcomed by the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru).

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced an expanded national executive on Sunday night, with 32 Cabinet ministers and 42 deputy ministers to lead the seventh administration of South Africa.

On Wednesday, in an interview with broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, Groenewald said he had never said he wanted hard labour for inmates.

“This thing about hard labour and everything, that is not true. What I said is, we will see how we can save money for the taxpayers of South Africa. I do believe the facilities - correctional facilities - must start to produce their own food again.

“They have the agricultural land, it is there. There are proposals (and) institutions who want to assist with that. I will seriously look into that matter so that we can save taxpayers’ money. There is nothing wrong to ensure that facilities produce their own vegetables and their own food,” said Groenewald.

In his televised address earlier this week, Ramaphosa announced that the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development in the previous administration has now been separated from the new Ministry of Correctional Services headed by Groenewald.

Ramaphosa announced that the Deputy Minister of Correctional Services is Lindiwe Ntshalintshali, an ANC Member of Parliament and former executive mayor of eMalahleni in Mpumalanga.