DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES

Focus Areas from 17 February 2010 Meeting

14 April 2010

CONTENTS

• Introduction• Focus Areas

AdministrationOrganograms: head office vs regionsDCS policies re: dress code, discrimination

(including abuse of power); disciplinary code; promotions/career-pathing

Seven Day Establishment : impact on staffing and staff relations

Reasons for non-compliance with the CSA, White Paper on Corrections (challenges/gaps)

Progress in implementing the AGs recommendations

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CONTENTS

CorrectionsOffender LabourParoleTransfers of OffendersControl RoomsState of kitchens and ablution facilities

Corrections & Development and CareChildren in Correctional Centres

Areas for special engagement with Portfolio Committee

Engagement with Portfolio Committee on Priorities of Department

Conclusion

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INTRODUCTION

Responses to request on information on focus areas from Portfolio Committee on 17 February 2010

Areas for special engagement with Portfolio Committee

Engagement with Portfolio Committee on Priorities of Department

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ADMINISTRATION Organograms• 2003 approved organisational structure provided – also

presentation in this regard – 46 830 posts approved 40 997 filled, 5 833 vacant

• National Office – Organisational Structure Volume 1 – 6: Office of Minister, Deputy Minister,

Commissioner, Judicial Inspectorate & Branches at National Office

• Regions – Organisational Structure Volume 7 – Regional Office Volume 8 – Management Areas Volume 9 – Demarcation of Management Areas

• National Office – Post establishment: 1451 (956 filled and 495 vacant)

• Regional Offices – Post establishment: 711 (539 filled and 172 vacant)

• 48 Management Areas – 44 668 posts (39 502 filled and 5 166 vacant) 5

ADMINISTRATION• Dress Code (also part of presentation)

– A Order Chapter 7– Corporate Wear Policy (This policy is currently in

process of being reviewed, hence the A-Order Chapter 7 still applicable)

• Discrimination– Recruitment and employment policy (also part of

presentation)– Specific cases mentioned: J.Lebatlang, Mbuli, Jansen– Lebatlang - dreadlocks

• Issues raised in the complaint dealt with extensively during the trial in the Labour Court

– Mbuli (Response submitted to Committee)– Jansen

• Arbitration commenced 18 January 2010 – partly heard – awaiting new date for continuation

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ADMINISTRATION

• 7-Day Establishment – Impact on staffing and staff relations

– Presentation provided

• Compliance with Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) on rest periods between shifts for employees

• Provides space and time to implement a structured day programme to ensure proper case management and improvement in staff relations (professional and security staff)

• Provides social benefits to staff - creates opportunity to spend time with families

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ADMINISTRATION• Reasons for non-compliance with the CSA, White Paper

on Corrections– Presentation provided

• Development of Correctional Services Act Monitoring Systems (CSAMS) to assist DCS to monitor the implementation of the Correctional Services Act in the following areas:

– Conditions of incarceration– Protection of human rights– Health– Parole– Rehabilitation– Management

• Progress in implementing the AGs recommendations– Presentation provided on weaknesses identified by

AGSA in 2008/9 financial year. Presentation also provides a status report 8

CORRECTIONS Offender Labour

• Report provided on offender involvement in community projects. Report reflects involvement in the different regions and the financial impact of the utilisation of offender labour in the various projects

Parole• Presentation provided on Parole Board Chairpersons

and Vice Chairpersons. 17 Chairpersons positions vacant and 7 Vice-Chair positions vacant.

• Lessons learnt from current process and how the department is addressing the existing gaps

• Report provided on offenders considered for placement on parole / correctional supervision for the period 1 April – 31 December 2009

• Report also provides summary of Parole Summit

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CORRECTIONS Transfer of Offenders

• Report on legislative framework for transfers provided• Report include transfers, with reasons for the first three

quarters of 2009/10 financial year• In essence there are compulsory transfers, transfers

that benefit the offender and transfers that benefit the department

• Report as well as additional presentation provide status and future development in terms of filling new Kimberley Correctional Centre by means of transfers of offenders

Control Rooms• Staff appointed to manage control rooms• Procedures and measures to ensure smooth transition

when contract terminates• No escapes from 66 centres with access control

system 10

CORRECTIONS State of kitchens and ablution facilities (Presentation

provided)

– 76 kitchens operating under unhealthy conditions– Generally the state of kitchens in DCS is that most of

the equipment (especially the cooking pots) have reached a stage where they are no longer maintainable

– Department has set aside funds in the 2010/11 Budget to replace some of the equipment

State of ablution facilities

– No. of centres with defective ablution facilities Jan 2009- Sept. 2009 - 114

– How many attended to and fixed - 3148– How many still to fix - 923 11

CORRECTIONS & DEVELOPMENT AND CARE Children in Correctional Centres

– Report provided on the treatment of children in Correctional Centres

• (Inter)Departmental efforts to keep children out of Correctional Centres

• Profile of children in the Correctional Centres• Attire regarding youth offenders• Programmes provided to youth offenders• Incarceration conditions

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AREAS FOR SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE

• Offender labour – 3 hour focused session requested

• 7-Day Establishment and 2-shift system – 3 hour focused session requested

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SUGGESTED TIME-FRAME FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON PRIORITIES OF DEPARTMENT

Apart from the quarterly accountability reporting to the Portfolio Committee, the department would like to engage with the Committee on priorities of the department. The following framework is suggested:Offender Rehabilitation Path implementation – June

2010Enhanced Parole System – July 2010Legislative Framework – August 20107-day establishment implementation – September 2010Phase 2 of OSD – September 2010Stakeholder Relations Management – September 2010Remand Detention management – October 2010Service provision for Youth and Child Offenders –

November 201014

CONCLUSION

Appreciation for continued efforts by Portfolio Committee to assist the department in ensuring good governance and clean administration

Management will at all times strive to put in place the necessary internal controls to ensure the department is fulfilling its mandate of contributing to the maintaining and protecting of a just, peaceful and safe society by—

(a) enforcing sentences of the courts in the manner prescribed by the Correctional Services Act

(b) detaining all inmates in safe custody whilst ensuring their human dignity;

and

(c) promoting the social responsibility and human development of all inmates and persons subject to community corrections 15

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Together doing more & better to break the cycle of crime