Paltry $3m allocation for prison food a security threat

Government allocated a paltry $3 million for food at the country’s prisons in the 2016 National Budget, enough to procure food for just three months for the prison population of approximately 20 000.

The resultant food shortages at the correctional institutions are a real threat to security at prisons, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs observed in its report on the 2016 National Budget.

The committee said at least $13,2m was needed to avert hunger in prisons.

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