By OBAKENG MAJE
8 October 2025 – The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services has called on the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), to urgently attend to the kitchens at prisons and ensure that they are compliant with health and safety standards in the country. The committee kick-started its week-long oversight visit to the Eastern Cape yesterday, with a walkabout at the Mthatha Correctional Centre as well as Mqanduli.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng said the kitchens at the Mthatha Facility did not meet the standards required for the DCS kitchens. Ramolobeng said it is frightening that the committee found the kitchens in the conditions they are in.
“The state of both kitchens is a serious health hazard and needs to be attended to with urgency. The roof foil is just hanging and could fall on the food; the paint is falling from the walls and requires repainting.
“It worried the committee also that food testing seemed to be an infrequent activity against what the policy required. In fact it does not seem that the food is tested daily as required,” she said.
Ramolobeng further said the committee heard that there was a low uptake of skills programmes and study opportunities in Mthatha. She added that the participation in the skills programme is too low.
“These programmes need not only focus on the lifers, but the general population of the prisons, in line with the government policy position on corrective approach. How do we impart skills to the inmates if the participation is this low?
“The issue of the Eastern Cape has been highlighted as one of the provinces where participation in the skills program does not happen. The committee also heard about challenges related to filling of vacant senior positions. Today the committee will visit East London correctional facility,” said Ramolobeng.
The Guardian 