Prisoners Producing Own Food Saves Correction Services Department Millions, Says Minister Ronaldo Lamola

• Minister of Correctional Services Ronald Lamola said the department will save R163 million due to prisoners producing their own food
• Eight of the 48 prisons in the country no longer need to purchase cabbage, spinach, beetroot, and onions
• Lamola said it is important to teach inmates skills that can be used when they are reintroduced to society

PRETORIA - The department of correctional services could end up saving R163 million in the next year through inmates producing their own food. The cost of meat and vegetables has been significantly reduced. Minister of Correctional Services Ronald Lamola told parliament on Thursday 19 May that prisoners started producing their own food when government resources were constrained.

He said the self-sufficiency strategic framework has an element of restorative justice. Lamola said from 48 prisons eight of them no longer needed to buy cabbage, spinach, beetroot, and onions.

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He said the department is on the course to save taxpayers’ money. According to SowetanLIVE, the department has farms, land, dairies, bakeries, workshops, and other services that are sustained without reliance on government funding.

Lamola said the savings will be put back into the department. He said there are plans in place to increase the production of livestock and plant production.

The Minister of Correctional Services said it is important to teach inmates skills that can be used when they are reintroduced to society for the betterment of themselves, Opera News reported.

Decision gains praise

South Africans are delighted by the initiative and believe it is the way all prisons should operate:

@CraigAnderson01 said:

“That is a good decision. In the past no services were outsourced, and cooking was done by inmates. Clothing and all services were done by inmates. Use their skills to take care of themselves. Grow their own vegetables as Pollsmore does. Let them make furniture that can be sold!”

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@LoveSwaziland wrote:

“Exactly as it should be. Why should taxpayers bear the brunt of feeding criminal behaviour.”

@LVK1970 commented:

“Halleluja! The next step will be to use prison labour for other labour intensive jobs. It is time that they start paying society back.”

@mzolisikaxengxe added:

“Let's hope & trust that this gesture will be spread across the length & the breath of the country let's also hope & trust that continuous training & development will be restored to officials to be able to discharge what’s expected of them in the conducive working environment.”

Justice Minister Ronald Lamola leaves Arthur Fraser to deal with Zuma's medical parole scandal alone

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported Minister of Justice Ronald Lamola is not letting himself be dragged into the scandal surrounding former President Jacob Zuma's medical parole.

Lamola clarified that he was not involved in the process of granting Zuma medical parole, thereby distancing himself legally, according to IOL.

Speaking to the publication, Chrispin Phiri, Lamola's spokesperson, stated that in relation to the law, Lamola cannot get involved in litigation of medical parole unless the prisoner is serving a life sentence.

Source: Briefly News