While all eyes are on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to the White House we should not neglect to call out the mess happening right under our noses. We should be concerned about reports that three violent offenders, two convicted of rape and murder, have vanished from the Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison.
Correctional services minister Pieter Groenewald finds himself under public scrutiny for the disappearance of the prisoners, a matter raised by the Democratic Alliance. These individuals were not awaiting trial or patiently waiting for the wheels of justice to turn, but were sentenced and incarcerated — they were meant to be off the streets and accounted for by the department.
The details about the prisoners' whereabouts are misleading. The DA claims it established during a site inspection that the prisoners were either transferred, released or rebooked into facilities, something that was contrary to Groenewald's response that they were in Pollsmoor.
We cannot afford to be confused about where those who were removed from society are. It cannot be that accountability and knowledge of prisoners' whereabouts escapes the minister or it's a matter of speculation. Have we not learnt anything from the Thabo Bester saga? Have we forgotten that in the Senzo Meyiwa murder case it was claimed that the alleged killers were illegally booked out of a prison cell to go commit murder and then returned to prison? How do we know that the people who ought to be in prison are actually always behind bars?
Accountability cannot stop with a few sternly worded statements. Parliament must demand a full, independent audit of the movement, custody and release of all sentenced dangerous prisoners
Why would the minister lie about their whereabouts? This is not just bureaucratic oversight but an indictment on a system in disarray. These are not petty thieves, but convicted rapists and murderers, why would the state risk not knowing where they are?
This demonstrates negligence that can endanger communities, it’s not just a paperwork blunder but a sign that the department is not on top of its game. Who signed their transfers? Why were they not rebooked? How does this happen in what is supposed to be the country's most secure prison?
The prison is known for its overcrowding and infrastructure problems. Earlier this year, MPs who did an oversight visit at the prison found that the female detainees' facility is running at 234% overcrowding, with some sections operating at higher percentages. Though notorious for its bad conditions, it is no excuse that it is failing in its basic custodial responsibility. Broken windows and untidy bathrooms aside, the bigger risk here is that dangerous people, despite court orders, can roam around freely on our streets.
If this is what the DA uncovered during one visit, how many people are out there when they are supposed to be in prison? Can we be confident that convicted criminals are in custody?
Accountability cannot stop with a few sternly worded statements. Parliament must demand a full, independent audit of the movement, custody and release of all sentenced dangerous prisoners. The public deserves to know how deep this rot goes. If systemic, heads must roll, including, if necessary, Groenewald’s.
Justice doesn’t end with sentencing — it ends with the sentence being served.
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