Justice and Correctional Services Minister Advocate Michael Masutha has opened a state of the art correctional facility in Estcourt in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands.

Masutha says the facility which cost more that R3-million replaces a previous prison which was built with corrugated iron.

He says the new facility has 309 additional bed spaces compared to 303 that the previous facility provided.

He says: “The facility is also compliant with the norms and standards, both nationally and internationally, this facility is fully compliant.”

Masutha also says the facility will address the challenge of overcrowding in the country’s prisons.

“It will enable us to decant some of the inmates from other facilities which are overcrowded and bring them here. There are also enough facilities that are suitable for us to provide everything from rehabilitation services and health care. We have a mini hospital with suitable equipment.”

The correctional centre is also very secure.