MHLANGATANE Member of Parliament (MP) Madala Mhlanga says legislators need to work on ensuring that the Correctional Services Regulations, 2020, is concluded in order to operationalise the Correctional Services Act, 2017.
He said with the regulations passed, His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) could implement the act, which he said provided that inmates could be allowed day parole.
Day Parole, according to the act, is when an inmate is temporarily released from correctional centre to visit his family during the day then returns to continue serving time.
The MP said this provision was welcomed by the legislators.
Mhlanga, who doubles as the Deputy Speaker in the House of Assembly, said this in an interview during a visit by some legislators to the Matsapha Correctional facility on Wednesday. He said the legislators had been invited to the centre’s end-of-year Christmas celebration for the first time. The MP said this was also an opportunity for them to familiarise themselves with the daily operations of the facility, and also check on the welfare of inmates.
Some of the notable inmates that the MPs saw included businessman Sipho Shongwe, former Hosea MP Mduduzi ‘Bacede’ Mabuza, and Kakona Dlamini.
Mhlanga said the delegation of legislators was welcomed by their former colleague Mduduzi Mabuza. He mentioned that during their visit, the MPs noted that the inmates were in good spirits and looked well-taken care of at the facility.
When asked for his opinion on the initiative by the HMCS as a means to rehabilitate inmates, Mhlanga said the approach was welcome. He noted that previously, visiting the maximum facility was not common, but since management of the facility understand that inmates have rights too, they allowed them to be visited by various selected guests during the end-of-year function.
| Members of Parliament visited Matsapha Correctional Facility, calling
for finalisation of regulations to operationalise day parole for inmates
On the public’s comment that inmates were treated with children’s gloves when they should be punished for their crimes, Mhlanga said everyone was capable of going to jail. Therefore, he said it would be unfair to judge others just because they are in jail.
“The fact that they are serving time is punishment for their crimes. All that should be done to inmates must be on par with the law,” he said.
On another note, the MP mentioned that together with Kwaluseni MP Sifiso Shongwe, they made the inmates’ day extra special by gifting them with soccer outfits.
