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New Commissioner of Correctional Services and other senior appointments

A new Commissioner for Correctional Services, Mr Khulekani Sitole, was appointed on 4 December 1996 after the previous Commissioner, Mr Henk Bruyn, indicated that he wanted to retire.

Since then I have also made the following senior appointments:

Mr Steven Korabie was appointed Chief/ Deputy Commissioner: Resource Management as from 1 February 1997.

Mr Zacharia Modise was appointed Provincial Commissioner for the Northern Cape Region as from 1 February 1997.

These appointments in the top structure of the department, as well as many other senior appointments, have been monumental in transforming the department and I am proud of the new life and culture they have brought to the department.

Progress with affirmative action

The programme of affirmative action in Correctional Services is showing concrete results, not only on management levels, but also on all the other levels. The present composition of our staff compliment is as follows:

Management Board: blacks: 11 ; whites: 8

Other: blacks: 18218 (62,06%); whites: 11 134 (37,93%)

We are also pleased to announce that we have experienced a dramatic decline in labour unrest in our department over the last months, our prison population is calm and content and the Department of Correctional Services is ready to face the many challenges and opportunities which the future holds.

New release and parole policy

Our proposed new release and parole policy is in the final stage of completion. Through this policy prisoners will serve a substantial part of their sentences before they can become eligible for parole. They will serve at least half their sentences, as opposed to one third at present. Our new release and parole policy will also ensure the judiciary's involvement in the release and parole process.

We hope to have it certified by the State Legal Advisor soon. It will then be submitted to Parliament for final endorsement.

I wish to reiterate that this new policy will have a major impact on criminality in South Africa and we are convinced that it will make a significant contribution towards our National Crime Prevention Strategy.

Re-drafting of the complete Correctional Services Act

The first draft of the proposed new Correctional Services Act has been completed by a drafting committee, chaired by Prof. Dirk van Zyl Smit, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Cape Town. The main aim of this new act is to make it compatible with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and to ensure the removal of all discriminatory stipulations. The first draft has now been circulated to all relevant departments and other role players country wide and comments are also being invited through a notice in the Government Gazette.

It is envisaged that the final revised Correctional Services Act will be brought before Parliament during the first quarter of 1998.

Correctional Services' involvement in the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS)

The Department of Correctional Services is actively involved with the NCPS and we have launched various initiatives to support the government in its war on crime. The most important of these programmes are the following:

* An integrated security system at 18 of the high risk prison commands at a cost of R28 million. This project entails the installation of perimeter security fences and the employment of specially selected security officers to ensure tightened security at command areas.
* An opportunity programme amounting to R5 million for prisoners to address their development and rehabilitation needs.
* A redesigned parole and release policy
* A Super Maximum Prison
* Electronic monitoring of probationers
* The establishment of an Anti-Corruption Unit
* The appointment of an Inspecting Judge etc,

Progress with the electronic monitoring pilot project

The electronic monitoring of prisoners is still being tested in Pretoria and this pilot project, involving some 83 offenders, will run until the end of August 1997. Although it is too early to make a definite statement, preliminary feedback which I have received is quite positive.

No abscondance has occurred since the project was launched. One offender however tried to forcefully snap his bracelet but he was apprehended within a few minutes after his transmitter send warning signals to the host computer.

Closer to the end of the year we will know whether we will be officially introducing electronic monitoring in South Africa and I will make a public announcement at the appropriate time. Before we decide to proceed we will also consult with the Portfolio
Committee on Correctional Services.

Developments with the first Super Maximum Prison

During the beginning of this year I was accompanied by Mr Poot, the senior Architect from the Department of Public Works and Mr Mokotedi, the Civil Engineer from my department as well as Mr Ken Jacobs, my Director of Building Services, to go and investigate a Super Maximum Prototype in the United States.

We are more than ever convinced that South Africa needs a SMP because we have enough real hard core criminals who deserve to be locked up in a SMP. At this stage we are working on the blueprint for our own SMP and if everything goes according to plan, we will have a SMP in approximately 18 months.

Progress with the building of prisons

The building and maintenance of prisons in South Africa has been grossly neglected in the past. With our present building programme we are therefore not yet building new prisons to accommodate more prisoners. We are rather building and upgrading to catch up on the backlog and to properly accommodate those prisoners who are still kept in overcrowded conditions.

The following new prisons were commissioned recent/y:
Umzinto - capacity = 445
Victor Verster (Paarl) - capacity = 496
Brandvlei Youth Centre - capacity = 348
Voorberg prison - capacity 1 560 =
Ekuseni Youth Centre - capacity = 600.

The following prisons will be upgraded soon with accommodation gain:

Rooigrond (Mafikeng) - capacity = 200
Pretoria Central - capacity = 557
Leeuwkop (Bryanston) - capacity = 380
Worcester - capacity = 66
George - capacity = 183
Groenpunt (Vereeniging) - capacity = 340
Christiana - capacity = 17
Caledon - capacity = 114
Buffeljagsrivier - capacity = 100

The following prisons are either planned or already under construction:

Goodwood - capacity = 1 692
Malmesbury - capacity = 972
Baviaanspoort capacity = 640
Empangeni - capacity = 1 392
Pietermaritzburg - capacity = 800

I am also pleased to announce that our 20 year building programme has been reduced to 5 years after consultation with the Department of Public Works. Also, the actual construction of a prison has been reduced from 30 months to about 18 months.

Inspecting Judge

The proposed Inspecting Judge for Correctional Services will be autonomous and will therefore function independently. The Office of the Inspecting Judge will also be in a position to investigate all matters related to prisoners and staff.

Judge Kumleben from the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court is at present assisting the department in finalizing the blueprint and legislation concerned with the creation of this post.

Anti-Corruption Unit for Correctional Services

The Department has nearly finalized the establishment of an Anti-Corruption Unit. Posts were advertised and suitable candidates were identified. Offers were made to the individuals and their responses are awaited. The Department is committed to honest, transparent and accountable administration.

Issued by the Ministry of Correctional Services, 13 February 1996
Enquiries: Bert Slabbert
Tel: (021) 462 2314/5/6

CORRECTIONAL SERVICES PANELISTS AT THE MEDIA BRIEFING

1. Dr Sipo Mzimela : Minister

2 Mr Khulekani Sitole : Commisioner
.
3. Mr Steven Korabie : Chief Deputy Commissioner

4. Mrs Langa Tseana : Provincial Commissioner: Eastern Cape

5. Mrs Dorothy Makhuza : Commander: Baviaanspoort

6. Bert Slabbert Ministerial Liaison Officer

ANNOUNCEMENT OF SENIOR PROMOTIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
CAPE TOWN: 13 FEBRUARY 1997

It pleases the Minister of Correctional Services, Dr Sipo Mzimela to use this opportunity to announce the following senior promotions in the Department of Correctional Services.

Provincial Commissioner: Eastern Cape
Ms N F Tseana

Director Personnel Development: Head Office
Mr S A Tsetsane

Director of Inspectorate: Head Office
Mr A J C Venter

Commander: Victor Verster
Mr R E Marcus

Commander: Baviaanspoort
Mrs T D Makhuza

Commander: Pretoria
Mr Z K Monama

Commander: Johannesburg
Mr P S A Tshweu

Commander: Helderstroom
Mr A Pieterson

The Incumbents are congratulated and the Department wishes them well in their new positions.

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