Minister Pieter Groenewald Calls for Reinstatement of Corporal Punishment in Prisons

• The Minister of Correctional Services, Pieter Groenewald, has called for corporal punishment to be reinstated
• Groenewald spoke in Parliament and highlighted some of the challenges in South African prisons
• He also discussed finding ways to resolve the burden of undocumented foreign nationals in South African prisons

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, cabinet reshuffles, the State of the Nation Address, Parliamentary Proceedings, and politician-related news, as well as elections, at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.

JOHANNESBURG — The Minister of Correctional Services, Pieter Groenewald, has proposed in Parliament a means to deal with the overcrowding of prisons caused by undocumented foreign nationals.

What did Groenewald suggest?

According to Eyewitness News, Groenewald spoke in Parliament while delivering his department's budget vote on 1 July 2025. He said that the National Assembly should consider revisiting corporal punishment, which was outlawed in prisons in 1996.

He also said that the overcrowding in prisons is made worse by suspects who cannot afford to pay small bail amounts. He noted that 60,000 accused suspects are waiting to stand trial. Groenewald added that more than 2,000 suspects cannot afford to pay R1,000 bail.

Furthermore, Groenewald pointed out that rehabilitation courses do not guarantee that those granted parole will be rehabilitated. Groenewald, who was sworn in as a minister after the Government of National Unity was formed, remarked that the department is working on finding ways to deport arrested foreign nationals to their home countries to serve their prison sentences.

Overcrowding is a problem in SA

In July 2024, Groenewald bemoaned the budget cuts the department experienced. This was after the National Treasury cut the Department of Correctional Services' budget by R2 billion. He said the department faces overcrowding, among other issues.

The Gauteng Department of Correctional Services reported that prisons like Kgosi Mampuru, Emthonjeni Centre, Modderbee and Leeuwkop were overcrowded. Foreign nationals outnumber South Africans in these prisons.

Groenewald pointed out in December that the department needed R36 billion to build more prisons to address overcrowding. He said that prisons needed 50,000 additional beds to accommodate the country's growing prison population.

South Africans debate

Netizens, including politicians like Rise Mzansi's Chief Organiser Makashule Gana, debated his call.

"We need to be innovative. It's not corporal punishment that we need. It's community service we need. Let them clean the streets and graveyards so that they can pay for the crimes they committed."

Phillip Phoku said:

"You miss apartheid tendencies. Corporal punishment was abolished long ago."

Alettaha said:

"He's such a clueless dinosaur."

Mthimbani said:

"Corporal punishment for petty crimes can sort out the problem of overcrowding and unnecessary expenses in prisons."

Moflava said:

"It was only a matter of time before Meneer came with some earth-shattering ideas."

Groenewald steps down as Freedom Front Plus leader

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Groenewald announced that he stepped down as the president of the Freedom Front Plus. He said that he wanted to focus on his role as a minister.

Groenewald noted that it was difficult to balance his duties as the party's president and his role as a minister. He said President Cyril Ramaphosa wanted him to remain as a minister.

Source: Briefly News