06 Aug 2017

Selebi Phikwe West MP Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse has presented a bill calling for the amendment of the Prisons Act.

Making a preamble before outlining the proposed amendments, Mr Keorapetse argued that prison officers managed and oversaw the activities of correctional facilities to ensure the safety and security of prisons.

He said prison officers carried a huge responsibility to maintain fair and safe operation of prisons through the enforcement of rules, regulations, policies and laws regarding incarceration and prisoners’ conduct, as well as maintain a record of infractions by inmates.

Mr Keorapetse added that the officers also participated in the execution and burial of condemned prisoners; noting furthermore that the risks they faced in their daily duties were therefore overwhelming.

“This challenging responsibility can be borne by a well-taken care of and highly motivated personnel. Therefore, it is important to periodically amend the laws, policies, rules and regulations of prisons services to deal with the working conditions of prisons officers in order to retain, attract and motivate them,” he elaborated.

The MP explained therefore that one of the shortcomings of the Prisons Act that needed to be dealt with was the tendency by the act to punish officers on interdiction before they could be convicted.

He said when prisons officers were suspended either because they were facing disciplinary procedures or criminal charges, the commissioner of prisons could decide to withhold a portion of their earnings during the period of suspension.

Such a decision, he said was against the notion of the presumption of innocence until one was proven guilty.

Mr Keorapetse said only a competent civil court of law or a legally constituted committee should pronounce a finding of guilt resulting in a loss of income.

He therefore called on Parliament to amend the act and do away with the provision allowing for the withholding of a part of the earnings of a prisons officer during a period of interdiction. ENDS