Inkatha Freedom Party Statement By:
MRS SYBIL SEATON MP
IFP SPOKESPERSON ON CORRECTIONAL SERVICES

24 October 2007

The Inkatha Freedom Party would like to applaud members of the portfolio committee on justice and constitutional development for joining the portfolio committee on correctional services on their trip to the juvenile section of Polsmoor Prison on Tuesday, but we are not surprised at all by the fact that they found several young offenders languishing in jail.

I wasn't able to attend the trip myself, but I am surprised that MPs were so shocked by what they found at the prison.

I have always expressed my concern at the alarmingly high number of young offenders, petty offenders, pregnant teens, children and young mothers with babies at correctional centres across the country.

These petty offenders are locked up and then become awaiting-trial prisoners for weeks, months and sometimes years. It is totally unacceptable.

The IFP has always advocated that women and juvenile petty offenders should not be sent to jail, but rather be rehabilitated through community service.

We now sincerely hope that the justice and constitutional development portfolio committee will go back to Parliament and come up with a release program for these petty offenders.

The portfolio committee on correctional services can not solve this dilemma alone and it is now time for the justice portfolio committee to come up with concrete plans to resolve this problem.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Ms Sybil Seaton MP: 083 412 0075
Liezl van der Merwe: 083 611 7470