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budget programme |
issue |
status / work in progress |
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1. Administration
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- Management of overtime expenditure
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- Overtime expenditure forecasts for the rest of the year are favourable for the region as a whole. However, three management areas – Leeuwkop (-R1,709,77 in the red; Modderbee (-R3,534,700) and Baviaanspoort (-R2,324,237) have negative forecasts. Each of the three Area Commissioners has given a personal assurance to the Regional Commissioner that measures are being taken to ensure that by the end of the year expenditure will be within the allocated funds.
- In the Modderbee Management Area 130 employees were dismissed on the 4th of July 2004 for engaging in an illegal strike and refusing to obey an ultimatum to return to work or disperse. Appeal hearings began on Thursday 19 August 2004. The sudden loss of 103 custodial officials in one correctional centre has negatively affected service delivery to inmates. Inmates no longer enjoy recreational activities such as playing soccer because of staff shortages. The Regional Commissioner hopes to see a speedy conclusion of the appeal hearings so that a new recruitment drive can be initiated or those who qualify are re-instated within a reasonable time.
- Orientation presentations on the White Paper have been conducted. These started with the regional management and were then rolled down to all correctional centres in the region.
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2. Security |
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- In June the region experienced a mass escape in Odi Remand and Correctional Centre. The 15 escapees were all awaiting trial for serious crimes. The incident showed the need for implementation of a comprehensive security system in all our medium and maximum security remand and correctional centres. The escapes were made possible by a number of causes, ranging from poorly designed facilities, inappropriate security fences, existence of gangs in the centre and negligence on the side of personnel on duty. A regional escape prevention plan was drafted on the 29th of July 2004 in a session attended by Areas Commissioners, Heads of Correctional Centres and Heads of Security. However, a longer term solution is the development of minimum security standards for correctional centres. That work is already under way.
- At the moment the region does not have a structured approach to combating corruption. There are clear indications that there are criminals who are in the employ of the DCS in places like Leeuwkop and Johannesburg. A regional task team has been set up to make preparations for the development of a regional anti-corruption strategy. The next session of the task team is on 30 August 2004. Such an anti-corruption strategy is going to include the vetting of all employees in the region, identification of sources of risk, methods of information collection and utilisation on corruption risks, effectiveness of counter measures (procedure compliance, effectiveness of searches, investigations & disciplinary action)
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3. Correction & Facilities |
- Promotion of correction in communities
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- The region has an approved accommodation capacity of 25 347. The total number of inmates by 10 August 2004 were 49 445. One notable example is that of Johannesburg Medium A hosting 6688 awaiting trial detainees (in a capacity of 2630). The region is also experiencing an increase in the number of maximum security classified inmates. The region has more inmates classified as maximum than it has facilities with the same classification.
- Two medium classified facilities in Leeuwkop and Modderbee have been identified as possible facilities that can be converted into maximum security centres. A task team has worked on the matter and the feasibility of the proposal will be assessed when costing has been done. Measures are taken on a weekly basis to evenly distribute inmates among correctional centres in Gauteng. Area Commissioners have been encouraged to market to magistrates Section 62(f) and 63(a) , as well as Section 276(I)(h) and (i) of the Criminal Procedure Act. Some magistrates are of the opinion that DCS officials are interfering with the independence of the judiciary by requesting imposition of certain forms of sentences. Heads of Correctional Centres are also not yet all committed to approach the courts to consider bail conditions amendment or alternative sentencing due to the unfavourable conditions in some of the DCS centres.
- The region has 3000 sentenced juveniles (21yrs or less) and 3382 unsentenced juveniles. Numerous meetings have taken place with the Department of Social Welfare to find alternative detention centres for the qualifying juveniles. Clearly the Department of Social Welfare does not yet have capacity to deal with juvenile awaiting trial detainees.
- The region, as part of the Department’s national strategy, is planning community outreach initiatives before the end of this calendar year. The objective of the outreach initiatives is to promote correction within communities – promotion of restoration of social responsibility of the individual; promotion of restoration of the integrity of vital institutions of the community such as the family, schools, churches and institutions of local governance.
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4. Development |
- Involvement of inmates in development programmes
- Challenges facing workshops
- Accreditation of service providers
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- Participation of sentenced inmates in development programmes is low. This is due to the fact that participation is voluntary and also because of the limited capacity of our facilities.
- Orders for materials through the new Basic Accounting System (BAS) take too long and this affects the operational effectiveness of workshops
- The region held a briefing with service providers on Thursday 19 August 2004. The briefing was part of a national head office driven programme of ensuring that the DCS makes all external service providers accountable to the DCS for the quality and relevance of the services they provide to inmates. This fresh accreditation process affects not just development programmes but also extends to correction and care programmes.
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5. Care |
- Partnership with Health Department
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- The region is struggling to attract or retain employees in certain professions such as psychologists and pharmacists. The region has only three pharmacists (Leeuwkop, Boksburg & Pretoria) that have to serve eight management areas. This is a matter that the Department at national level is concerned about and making attempts to address. A status report shows that only 2% of employed nurses have been trained in primary health care. Consultations by our head office are ongoing with training institutions and Department of Health to assist with training. The structure of the training programme presents a challenge in that it requires nurses to attend on a fulltime basis in order to qualify for accreditation in primary health care. Primary health care is however implemented throughout the region, in-spite of the staff shortage.
- 20 inmates per correctional centre were trained between April and June 2004 on matters of prevention, care and administrative or referral information about HIV/AIDS.
- 20 nurses are presently undergoing training on voluntary counselling and testing.
- Access of offenders to anti retroviral treatment (ARVT): Prisoners have access to ARV treatment in Ekurhuleni and in Johannesburg. In Tshwane there are problems and the public hospitals cite workload and budgetary constraints.
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6. Facilities |
See correction
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See correction |
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7. After Care |
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The region has just over 6000 parolees. The section has 12 offices and 367 staff members. The section has 64 vehicles spread among the 12 offices. The effectiveness of parole supervision system is expected to improve as soon as the DCS begins to release on parole people who have been through official correction programmes.
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