Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald told Parliament his reforms have yielded roughly R450 million in savings, reports Cape {town} Etc.
He links the result to tighter procurement, expanded prison bakeries and farm projects and a push to cut waste.
The department says it produced just over five million loaves of bread last year and recorded substantial food-provision savings through farm output and changes to the 12-day meal cycle.
Groenewald said in a government statement that the shift to in-house food production is central to reducing outside supplier reliance.
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Accountability measures also feature in the minister’s report. According to The Mail & Guardian the department told MPs that consultant spending fell markedly from about R119.3 million to R29.2 million in the latest reported year.
Groenewald described the move as part of rebuilding internal capacity and cutting irregular expenditure.
Groenewald framed the changes as an anti-corruption drive. Officials briefed Parliament on hundreds of unannounced raids and thousands of confiscated devices and contraband.
One departmental tally cited more than 460 raids and over 33 000 cellphones seized. The opposition has published larger figures, noting more than 41 000 devices seized over a broader period.
On foreign nationals, Groenewald told MPs the department houses about 24 000 non-South African inmates and estimated this costs the state roughly R11 million a day. He urged discussions on serving sentences in home countries to relieve strain.
Groenewald warned: ‘Don’t think prison is a hotel.’ He said inmates will receive basic, nutritious meals and that prisons must return to custody, discipline and rehabilitation.
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