PODCAST | ‘All my office furniture was made by prisoners’: Groenewald pushes for hard labour, deportations
timeslive.co.za/politics/2025-08-07-podcast-all-my-office-furniture-was-made-by-prisoners-groenewald-pushes-for-hard-labour-deportations/
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Prison Labor and Punishments Aim to Cut CostsMinister Groenewald targets doubling savings to R1bn/year by expanding inmate labor and proposes corporal punishment for minor crimes.
Key FactsAug 7, 2025 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: timeslive.co.za
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: timeslive.co.za
- Inmates are encouraged to engage in farming, clothing production, baking, and factory work to reduce taxpayer expenses by hundreds of millions annually.
- Savings from prison labor initiatives currently total around R500 million a year, with plans to increase this to R1 billion within two years.
- Groenewald advocates reintroducing corporal punishment for petty theft as a faster, less expensive alternative to jail time.
- To address overcrowding, the minister proposes deporting 26,000 foreign prisoners, who cost approximately R11 million daily to detain.
All [prison] uniforms are produced by inmates. All the furniture in my offices — Cape Town and Pretoria — has been manufactured by inmates, so it's much cheaper.— Pieter Groenewald, Correctional Services Minister, discussing the cost-saving measures in the prison system.
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PODCAST | ‘All my office furniture was made by prisoners’: Groenewald pushes for hard labour, deportations
timeslive.co.za/politics/2025-08-07-podcast-all-my-office-furniture-was-made-by-prisoners-groenewald-pushes-for-hard-labour-deportations/
WATCH | Four things stalling prisons and red lines in GNU: Groenewald: Correctional services minister Pieter Groenewald on what must change
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WATCH | Four things stalling prisons and red lines in GNU: Groenewald: Correctional services minister Pieter Groenewald on what must change
timeslive.co.za/politics/2025-08-08-watch-four-things-stalling-prisons-and-red-lines-in-gnu-groenewald/
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Correctional services suspends CFO Marumule in coal tender probe: Minister Pieter Groenewald vows tough action as probe into alleged coal tender fraud deepens
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Minister Groenewald vows action against corruption in prison food procurement: Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald says he will act if wrongdoing is ...
iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-05-19-minister-groenewald-vows-action-against-corruption-in-prison-food-procurement/
Groenewald orders review of parole for Griekwastad murder convict : Correctional services minister Dr Pieter Groenewald has referred the decision to grant ...
timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-02-06-groenewald-orders-review-of-parole-for-griekwastad-murder-convict/
EWN Feb 04
Groenewald seeks to establish inquiry into alleged corruption at WC prisons: Correctional Services MinistePieter Groenewald made the announcement on Tuesday ...
ewn.co.za/2026/02/04/groenewald-seeks-to-establish-inquiry-into-alleged-corruption-at-wc-prisons
EWN Jan 29
Correctional Services Minister explains decision to review Griekwastad murderer's parole
ewn.co.za/2026/01/29/correctional-services-minister-explains-decision-to-review-griekwastad-murderers-parole
Donovan Moodley denied parole again for murder of Leigh Matthews: Donovan Stanley Moodley, who is serving a life sentence for the killing of Bond University ...
iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/2025-12-19-killer-of-bond-university-student-leigh-matthews-donovan-stanley-moodley-denied-parole/
Key FactsParole Denied Again for Leigh Matthews Murderer
Dec 19, 2025 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: iol.co.za
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: iol.co.za
- Donovan Stanley Moodley, serving a life sentence for killing Leigh Matthews, has been denied parole once more.
- The National Council for Correctional Services recommended further interventions before any parole can be granted.
- Moodley is required to complete structured correctional and psychotherapy programs prior to reconsideration in two years.
- The decision factors in comprehensive reports and risk assessments to ensure community safety upon release.
The placement of offenders back into the community must satisfy all structures involved in the parole consideration process, confirming that rehabilitation has been achieved and that any risk posed to the community is manageable.— Dr. Pieter Groenewald, Minister of Correctional Services, regarding the conditions for the release of offenders on parole.
EWN Oct 03 25
Correctional Services Minister Dr Pieter Groenewald flags urgent parole reform amid shocking reoffender stats
ewn.co.za/2025/10/03/correctional-services-minister-dr-pieter-groenewald-flags-urgent-parole-reform-amid-shocking-reoffender-stats
OpinionQ&A with Pieter Groenewald: Muizenberg was in fear last week after a notorious gangster was paroled, murdered three people and went on the run ...
timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/opinion-and-analysis/opinion/2025-08-24-qa-with-pieter-groenewald/
Paid articlePaywallWe're cleaning up: Correctional services minister opens prison bakery: Correctional services minister Pieter Groenewald says the problem of awaiting trial ...
timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2025-08-14-were-cleaning-up-correctional-services-minister-opens-prison-bakery/
Correctional Services minister expected to explain 'bring back corporal punishment' proposal to portfolio committee
iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2025-07-07-correctional-services-minister-expected-to-explain-bring-back-corporal-punishment-proposal-to-portfolio-committee/
EWN Jul 08 25
Parliament's Correctional Services Committee expects Groenewald to clarify stance on reintroduction of corporal punishment
ewn.co.za/2025/07/08/parliaments-correctional-services-committee-expects-groenewald-to-clarify-stance-on-reintroduction-of-corporal-punishment
Groenewald calls for corporal punishment for those who can't afford bail: Correctional services minister Pieter Groenewald has suggested the revival of corporal ...
timeslive.co.za/politics/2025-07-02-groenewald-calls-for-corporal-punishment-for-those-who-cant-afford-bail/
Key FactsGroenewald suggests revisiting corporal punishment in prisons
Jul 2, 2025 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: ewn.co.za
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: ewn.co.za
- On 1 July, Minister Pieter Groenewald proposed a National Assembly debate on bringing corporal punishment back.
- More than 60,000 accused people await trial; over 2,000 of them cannot afford bail below R1,000.
- For people serving life sentences, completed rehabilitation courses do not guarantee parole; he will deny it when reoffending risk is medium to high.
- The minister is exploring ways for foreign nationals to serve sentences in their countries of origin and be deported immediately afterward.
We must start a debate to say: shouldn’t we bring back corporal punishment?— Pieter Groenewald, Minister of Correctional Services, delivering his budget vote in the National Assembly
Bring back the cane? Groenewald sparks debate with corporal punishment call: Minister Groenewald ignites a contentious debate on reintroducing corporal ...
iol.co.za/news/politics/2025-07-03-bring-back-the-cane-groenewald-sparks-debate-with-corporal-punishment-call/
Groenewald doubles down on corporal punishment: Slow pace at which wheels of justice grind is the real issue, says expert
timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/news/politics/2025-07-06-groenewald-doubles-down-on-corporal-punishment/
Paid articlePaywallOver 33,000 phones, 232kg of drugs seized in SA prisons – Groenewald declares war on corruption
iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2025-07-02-over-33000-phones-232kg-of-drugs-seized-in-sa-prisons-groenewald-declares-war-on-corruption/
EWN Jul 02 25
Groenewald suggests corporal punishment be revisited to alleviate overcrowding in prisons
ewn.co.za/2025/07/02/groenewald-suggests-corporal-punishment-be-revisited-to-alleviate-overcrowding-in-prisons
‘No parole for high risk lifers’ — Correctional services minister Groenewald: The minister of justice and correctional services Dr Pieter Groenewald has ...
timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2025-06-30-no-parole-for-high-risk-lifers-correctional-services-minister-groenewald/
‘I have never lied’- Groenewald tells Parliament over 3 ‘vanished’ juvenile offenders
news24.com/southafrica/crime-and-courts/i-have-never-lied-groenewald-tells-parliament-over-3-vanished-juvenile-offenders-20250603-0760
Correctional services minister Groenewald under fire over 'missing prisoners' at Pollsmoor
timeslive.co.za/politics/2025-05-15-correctional-services-minister-groenewald-under-fire-over-missing-prisoners-at-pollsmoor/
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