Correctional Services Committee Raises Concern About Department's Projected R1.4 Billion Over-Expenditure

The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services has raised its concerns about the Department of Correctional Services' (DCS) over-expenditure, which is projected to reach R1.4 billion.

Yesterday, the committee heard that the department's year-to-date expenditure for the period ending 31 December 2024 is R21,6 billion (78%), while projected annual expenditure is R29,2 billion against the adjusted budget of R27,8 billion, which will result in projected overspending of R1,4 billion.

The committee was briefed by the DCS on its second and third quarter performance report for the 2024/25 financial year.

The projected overspending is due to a cost-of-living adjustment, effected in April 2024. In addition, the capital budget is underfunded by R222 million, constraining infrastructure upgrades and maintenance. Food costs have also surged, driven not only by inflation and a growing inmate population, but also by the rising number of foreign nationals housed in correctional facilities.

The current budget is overspent due to rising municipal tariffs for electricity, water and sanitation, which have escalated above the consumer price index, creating further strain on the already stretched Goods and Services budget. The DCS also indicated that it faces fixed, inflexible costs for public–private partnership facilities, limiting room for reprioritisation.

Additionally, the devolution of maintenance responsibilities from the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to DCS without a corresponding increase in the accommodation charges allocation has left a funding gap of R154 million. The information and technology branch's budget in the DCS is also severely constrained, hampering efforts to modernise digital infrastructure and cybersecurity, the committee was informed.

Committee Chairperson Ms Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng said:“Of course, we raised concerns about this trend. It is worrying although the factors for such overspending have been placed before us. We urged the department to tighten its belt, like using for example offender labour wherever possible in order to cut cost and that will result in a transfer of skills.”

The committee heard that the DCS has implemented measures to curb projected over-expenditure of its budget vote by appointing a committee that is responsible for monitoring expenditure on a weekly basis.“We noted these interventions and hope that the corrective measures will bear fruit. We will need a report detailing progress regarding those measures,” emphasised Ms Ramolobeng.

The DCS also reported that it has had 29 unnatural deaths in its facilities out of an inmate population of 160 353. Ms Ramolobeng said the committee has on numerous occasions raised concerns about inconsistencies in reporting between the DCS and Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services on the number of unnatural deaths.“Both parties need to sit down and come up with a way forward of how to address this reporting deficit. We want the DCS to submit a report to us following that sit-down meeting,” she said.

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