Highlighting the problem of corruption in the criminal justice system, he said some of the prison escapes were clearly taking place with the collaboration of officials. The smuggling of weapons and banned or illegal substances into jails was also facilitated by corrupt elements within the prison service. We are saying this to indicate another significant role you can play in combating crime. It also indicates how large a role corrupt elements can play in shielding criminal networks. Mr Mandela said he was encouraged that despite the difficulties of overcrowding, the number of escapes had been substantially decreased.
Secure prisons are essential to making our justice system an effective weapon against crime.
The full contribution which prisons could make towards a permanent reduction in the country's crime rate also lay in the way in which prisoners were treated, Mr Mandela said. We cannot emphasise enough the importance of both professionalism and respect for human rights. We need a climate that is conducive to prisoners becoming law-abiding citizens. Lasting solutions would not be found if prisoners continued to be treated as they were under apartheid, where their rights to dignity were denied. If the country's prisons were to become places of rehabilitation, the men and women who worked in them needed to do their jobs professionally and effectively.