South Africa's prisoners live better than those outside
Friday, 05 December 2008 06:55
reporter
South Africa's prisoners have too many privileges and eat better meals than people outside prison, parliamentarians heard on Thursday during a public hearing on the review of the country's criminal justice system.
Â
"Its something we have been hearing since visiting the Eastern Cape, the privileges of inmates, it has come out very strongly," Dennis Bloem, Parliament's correctional services committee chairman, said.
Â
"The food is better than outside and they watch TV the whole day."
Â
Bloem said he had to agree that privileges of prisoners should not be seen as rights. Â
"Prison must be prison," he said.
Â
Bloem and the portfolio committee chairwoman on safety and security Maggie Sotyu spoke to journalists during a public hearing in Maokeng in Kroonstad where the two, with the portfolio committee on justice, were holding a public hearing on the review of South Africa's criminal justice system.