Department of Correctional Services

Dr. Pieter Groenewald has been serving as Minister of Correctional Services since 3 July 2024, following a long and distinguished political career. Born on 27 August 1955 in Fochville, Gauteng, he matriculated from Gymnasium High School in Potchefstroom before earning a B.Iuris (Law) degree from Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education (now North-West University). He later obtained a postgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies, a Master’s in Public Management and Development, and a Doctorate in Political Studies from North-West University.

Groenewald’s political journey began in 1989, when he was elected as a Member of Parliament, following his tenure as Mayor of Stilfontein. Re-elected in 1994, he chaired the Portfolio Committee on Defence until 1999, later serving in the North West Provincial Legislature (1999–2001) before returning to Parliament. From 2001 to 2012, he contributed to South Africa’s defense policy as part of the Ministerial Interim National Defence Force Service Commission.

A founding member of the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), Groenewald served as the party’s Federal Chairperson before being elected National Leader in 2016, a position he retained following his re-election in 2021 and 2024. With extensive experience in public policy, defense, and governance, he now oversees South Africa’s correctional services sector (Www.gov.za, 2024).

Lindiwe Ntshalintshali has served as Deputy Minister of Correctional Services since 3 July 2024, following a distinguished career in local and provincial government. She entered politics in 2005, joining the ANC Youth League’s Provincial Executive Committee in Mpumalanga, and later became a local councillor in Emalahleni (2006–2018), where she was twice re-elected and appointed to the Mayoral Committee for Development and Planning, then Technical Services. From 2015 to 2018, she served as Mayor of Emalahleni Local Municipality.

Ntshalintshali was actively involved in local government leadership, holding positions in the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), including provincial executive (2013–2015), deputy president (2016), and president of the African section of United Cities and Local Government. After the 2019 General Elections, she was elected to the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature, later serving as MEC for Arts, Sports, Culture, and Recreation (2019–2021) and MEC for Social Development (2021–2024).

A qualified nurse, she has remained deeply engaged in ANC leadership, serving as Deputy Provincial Secretary in 2022 before resigning to take up a role in the ANC’s National Executive Committee in December 2022 (Www.gov.za, 2024).