Cape Town — The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) revealed that roughly one in every 10 prisoners in South Africa is a foreign national.
The DCS revealed the ratio when responding to a parliamentary question regarding the increases in the rate of foreign arrests in the country, as police have reported successes in foreign national arrests, The Citizen reported.
According to the DCS, following a nationwide tour of South African prisons in September and October, the DCS wrote to Parliament and revealed that the number of foreign nationals currently in the correctional services system now stands at 18 000.
The figure includes those who have already been sentenced, and those awaiting sentencing. Once arrests have been made, the DCS identifies the nationality of the suspects and hands the information to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).
The DHA confirms the information and whether the foreign national should be in the country legally or not, and those determined to have overstayed or not complied with the terms, would be deemed “undesirable.”
Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, 13 November 2024 https://t.co/gRJR1rMO6b
— Parliament of RSA (@ParliamentofRSA) November 13, 2024
The DCS said there is no legal provision for the transfer of sentenced foreign nationals to their country of origin.
Upon arrest, the DCS identifies the nationality of suspects and relays this information to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).
Details of foreign parolees will be circulated to all law enforcement agencies and ports of entry and they will not be allowed to return to South Africa until their parole has expired or if they have approval from DHA.
“The DCS is at an advanced stage of consultation with the Justice Crime Prevention and Security cluster with the objective of formalising a South African procedure about the interstate transfer of offenders,” stated the department’s response.
In April this year, then-Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, revealed that there were 14 000 foreign nationals out of more than 144 000 prisoners in South Africa, keeping the 1 in 10 ratio. He revealed that it was not foreigners that made up most of the crimes in South Africa, News Live SA reported.
“While there are criminals that are foreign nationals, South Africans remain a big part of the criminality in South Africa. So it could not be very true that it is only foreign nationals that are causing crime,” Cele said.
“South Africa’s prisons have almost 14 000 foreign nationals out of almost 144 000 Plus South Africans. so it could not be very true that it only foreign nationals that are causing crime” Police Minister Bheki Cele pic.twitter.com/6bhCS9cG1l
— News Live SA (@newslivesa) April 7, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
