South Africa’s New Minister Of Prisons Says Inmates Should Produce Own Food
South Africa’s newly-appointed Correctional Services Minister, Pieter Groenewald, said that he will push for prisons to produce some of their own food, which he believes could save millions of taxpayers’ money.
Groenewald, who is the leader of the Freedom Front Plus party, refuted reports claiming he wants to implement hard labour for inmates.
In an interview with broadcaster Newzroom Afrika on Wednesday, Groenewald expressed his view that correctional facilities must start producing their own food again. He said:
This thing about hard labour and everything is not true. What I said is, we will see how we can save money for the taxpayers of South Africa. I do believe the facilities, correctional facilities must start to produce their own food again.
They have the agricultural land, it is there. There are proposals (and) institutions who want to assist with that.
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I will seriously look into that matter so that we can save taxpayers’ money. There is nothing wrong with ensuring that facilities produce their own vegetables and their own food.
A commentator who supports subjecting inmates to hard labour argues that this approach can also serve as a deterrent to committing crimes. He wrote on X:
Jail shouldn’t be treated like a hotel, people should be scared to go to jail. Prisons should serve as a deterrent to crime. They are not supposed to be a spa retreat or an all-inclusive holiday.
When people see prison as a place where they will be put to hard labour going to the fields to grow their own food, working and contributing to society, they will think twice before committing a crime.
If nothing else, hard labour gives prisoners a sense of purpose and keeps them busy, which can help rehabilitate them and prepare them for life outside of prison.
In many countries, prisoners participate in agricultural production, where the goods they cultivate often end up in the supply chains of various consumer products.
Additionally, prison farms frequently use the goods they produce to feed the prisoners and other state wards.
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