SA Prisons or Sodom and Gomorrah?

Steve Swart MP – ACDP

Tuesday, 20 August 2002

African Christian Democratic Party MP and spokesperson on Correctional Services Steve Swart, expressed shock and outrage following revelations of the Jali Commission (to the Correctional Services Portfolio Committee) this morning, regarding its investigation into incidents of corruption and maladministration in South African prisons.

Mr Swart likened the exposure and maladministration in South African prisons to exposing “Sodom and Gomorrah.” Mr Swart said, “The high levels of corruption and maladministration established by the Commission reminds one of Sodom and Gomorrah, with allegations of crime and corruption being committed at every turn, including sexual abuse of juveniles, sodomy rings and even assassination.”

Mr Swart agreed that disciplinary procedures needed to be reconsidered urgently as he said the existing disciplinary enquires and appeal procedures had been shown to be at best hopelessly inadequate or staffed by incompetent people, but at worst as being clearly manipulated, abused or stage managed to serve and protect certain individuals

He recommended that criminal prosecution should be instituted as a matter of urgency whenever prima fade evidence of wrongdoing was found.

Of particular concern to Mr Swart was the report regarding the clear evidence of an orchestrated campaign by the trade union, Popcru, members to replace white management members with selected Popcru members by calculated action intended to render the prisons ungovernable. In certain cases either by intimidation or violence, unwanted individuals were simply removed by force from their offices and never again allowed to enter the prison premises. Mr Swart called for the prosecution of such persons where prima fade evidence existed.

In conclusion Mr Swart expressed the hope that the Jali Commission’s recommendations would be urgently implemented as five or six previous investigations had been instituted with little or no improvement in the situation in South African prisons.


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For further comment please call Steve Swart MP at 083 2856290 or ACDP Media Liaison Liza Bloemetje at 082 4781037