Portfolio committee to inspect East London prisons

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

Parliament's portfolio committee on correctional services will begin its country-wide oversight visits to correctional centres in the Eastern Cape on Tuesday.

The committee will visit East London and Mdantsane Correctional Centres to inspect conditions of incarceration, the treatment of inmates and the working conditions for staff.

The Committee will also visit the regional offices of the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services as part of its continued drive towards improving that the body's effectiveness.

Committee chairperson, Vincent Smith, once they've completed their oversight visits a report will be tabled to parliament.

"Issues that we find that can be addressed on the spot we recommend to management on the spot to address, other issues we, on our return to Parliament write a comprehensive report on our findings together with recommendations. Parliament will then adopt it and it then goes to the minister and his department for them to consider and implement, bearing in mind we do not have the power to instruct but only to persuade" Smith said.