The African National Congress (ANC) in Parliament threw its weight behind Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour on Tuesday by supporting his budget, despite serious concerns about the building of eight new prisons and how they will be financed.

Balfour and his department were poised to become the first in a democratic SA to have Parliament reject a portion of its budget as a result of MPs' concerns over departmental spending.

ANC chairman of the correctional services committee Dennis Bloem told a press conference that despite serious concerns from all parties about the department's facilities programme, it had never been the committee's intention to reject the budget.

He said an urgent briefing on the financing models for the construction of new prisons had been called for, but it would have been irresponsible to reject the entire R11bn budget for want of details of one programme.

MPs wanted to know what happened to the millions that were budgeted for the construction of the prisons since 2002. Only the earthworks had been done, and the department was now saying the project was "unaffordable", MPs said.

Introducing his budget vote in the National Assembly, Balfour said the media had made a hullabaloo about "absolutely nothing". He said the four prisons from 2002 were "under way" with one to be constructed a little late.

The remaining four prisons - announced by President Thabo Mbeki last year - were also under way, he said. However, Balfour did not explain the levels and phases of the prisons construction.

Democratic Alliance MP James Selfe said more prisons were deemed necessary in 2002, when the planning began.

"Money was allocated for these prisons and the sites - in Kimberley, Klerksdorp, Leeuwkop and Nigel - were identified. In three cases earthworks began."

But due to delays, costs started to escalate, and when construction began insufficient funds were available, he said.

In the case of Leeuwkop, the site was found to be unsatisfactory. Even the successful tenders for the prisons had now lapsed, and the tender process had to start afresh, he said.

"So here we sit, four years later, without one brick laid. Even worse: the state has paid out some R86m on earthworks, some of which will now have to be redone," Selfe said.

He said Balfour believed the new-generation prisons could be built through partnerships with the private sector.

"Unless we are satisfied that is the right way to go, we will not support this budget," Selfe said.

Business Day
Publisher: I-Net Bridge
Source: I-Net Bridge