FREE DAILY EMAIL

Date : 15/08/2005
Source: Department of Correctional Services
Title: Balfour: Launch of Centres of Excellence


  Address by the Minister of Correctional Services, Mr BMN Balfour, MP, at the national launch of the Centres of Excellence held at Idutywa Correctional Centre, Eastern Cape

Programme Director Mr Bongani Gxilishe
Bishop Nwabo
Ukumkani Xoliliziwe Siqcau
MEC for Safety, Security, Liaison and Transport
Mr Thobile Mhlahlo
Executive Mayor Mr Sakhumzi Somyo
Honoured Dignitaries
Members of Parliament and the Eastern Cape Legislature
Councillors, Community leaders
National Commissioner Mr Linda Mti
Deputy Regional Commissioner Ms Tseane
Representatives of Government Depts, NGOs, CBOs and FBOs
Senior Management and Members of DCS Offenders
Ladies and Gentlemen
Those tuned in throughout the country to this Live Transmission

Three little words – RAISING THE BAR – probably best explain the reason why this distinguished audience is gathered here in the Eastern Cape town of Idutywa. This day will go down in the records of the Department of Correctional Services as the starting point in mapping out a brand new approach to correctional matters. It is shaking off of the old followed by furtive, yet firm steps in adopting the new. Prison systems throughout the world generally ignite within the human mind negative thoughts and perceptions. It is linked to criminality, violence, rejection, bitterness, punishment, revenge and fear. If you happen to have a relative in prison, it becomes a part of your family life that you would rather not refer to in public or in conversation. It is a matter best kept quiet about.

Within our own country, the history of prisons and imprisonment is one of institutionalised violence, nests of crime, moral decay, inhumanity and atrocious conditions. It is a legacy that we have still not succeeded in shaking off entirely. Prisons are still regarded by many as places where criminal activity is perpetuated instead of eradicated. It is a place to do your time for the crime.

As in all aspects of South African life since 1994, we had to take a hard look at the prison system and determine whether it is serving its intended purpose. But we had to also establish whether that purpose was really in the best interests of society. I think there is general agreement that those who break the law must pay its debt to society. It is how this debt is paid that brings a divergence of opinions to the fore.

There are still many who believe that locking them up, depriving them of their humanity and throwing away the key is the only way to fight crime. There is a tendency to forget that these people come from our communities and that their actions and deeds in reality reflect what happens in those communities.

Within Correctional Services and by extension within the broad criminal justice system, we have been obliged to reflect on this and then determine what would best serve the interests of all our citizens bearing in mind the human rights culture that has taken an institutionalised hold in our lives since the advent of democracy.

After a decade of debate and an almost artificial tinkering with the system by bringing about piecemeal superficial changes, a bold decision was taken by government to fundamentally change the way in which we manage our correctional system.

This resulted in the adoption of the White Paper on Corrections in South Africa in February this year, which represents the final break with a past penal system that was repressive in its nature and destructive in its outcomes. Objectively, the White Paper is the ideal that we are striving towards. Yes, it is idealistic in its nature and challenging in its implementation but it is arguably our best chance of success within the correctional system to fight crime effectively.

The White Paper has raised the bar. The White Paper is setting new benchmarks; new challenges and certainly new opportunities. In raising the bar, we had to find an instrument that would best measure whether the White Paper is a realistic and achievable objective.

Hence our Centres of Excellence. Hence our presence here today. The scene has been set. The planning has been finalised. The race must now be run.

As you have heard in the presentation of the concept of the Centres of Excellence, this gives Correctional Services the one chance to fundamentally and irreversibly change and transform a prison system into a correctional system, a custodial warder into a rehabilitator and a dangerous prisoner into a rehabilitated offender. We have raised the bar. Now we must clear the new height that has been set.

The Centres of Excellence is the new challenge. The Centres of Excellence is the new beginning that we speak of in Correctional Services.

Are we up to it? Are we ready to change how we do things in the correctional system? Is raising the bar a premature move?

Only you within the 36 identified Centres of Excellence throughout the country can answer that. It is not an answer that will be available now. It will only come to the surface once we have gone down that route. The route has been mapped out. The route would still have obstacles. The route could even be amended as new challenges and opportunities are discovered. But essentially, those driving the Centres of Excellence will determine its outcomes.

From Idutywa to Goodwood. From Kokstad Ebongweni Maximum to Kuruman. From Ermelo to Pretoria Central. These are amongst the 36 centres that are about to enter its new beginnings. Every region will have its Centres of Excellence and every region will be striving to make that change; to make that difference.

Whether you are now at Emthonjeni, Goodwood, Ekuseni, Groenpunt or Klerksdorp, where Deputy Minister Cheryl Gillwald is officiating at the regional launch in the LMN region, or for that matter at any one of our correctional centres countrywide, you have a role to play in implementing the Centres of Excellence. The success of its implementation depends on every member of Correctional Services.

While the project will be rolled out in 36 centres, every other correctional centre, its management and staff must be striving towards achieving the objectives of the Centres of Excellence. This pilot project does not mean that the focus will be solely on the Centres of Excellence. It does not mean that other centres can sit back and continue with the old way of doing things. It does not mean that other centres can hide behind factors such as overcrowding, personnel shortages, lack of adequate facilities and the like. No, it simply means that through innovation, vision, commitment and foresight all other correctional centres must start preparing themselves for adopting many if not all, the principles on which the Centres of Excellence are based.

This is indeed an exciting phase within Correctional Services. I was deeply impressed with the commitment and hard work that went into the remission of sentences. It was a project that showed that there is tremendous talent and skills within the department. Despite setbacks and some shortcomings, the implementation of it is unprecedented within Correctional Services. And I am extremely proud of everyone involved in it.

The Centres of Excellence project can follow on those achievements. In committing ourselves to it, I call on all correctional officials to open up our minds to it. Let us all be a part of the new and fresh ideas as we strive to build the ideal correctional system. Let us turn the negatives into positives. Let every challenge be seen as an opportunity. Let is create the space and environment for new beginnings for all the stakeholders in the correctional system.

This is not only about the inmates that we care for. This is not only about the officials working in those Centres of Excellence. This is not only about the access to resources. It is not only about our partners. Rather, it is about all stakeholders as a collective and how we interact with each other and influence each other and impact on each other in the environment in which we operate.

The Centres of Excellence will place new demands on us all. Our thinking and our way of doing things will have to be transformed. Our management style will have to be adapted; our dealings with the public will have to change.

We are positioning ourselves as an institution of rehabilitation. While the White Paper recognises the strategic roles that societal institutions such as families and communities should be playing in the correction of offending behaviour, our interventions are critical if we want to succeed in turning around the lives of offenders placed in our care.

In working towards our goals, there are many challenges that we have to deal with. There is a need to change the mindset of correctional officials; from one that has been entrenched as a warder concerned with security and incarceration to one of becoming a correctional official as a rehabilitator. The training and retraining of our members must be in line with our new strategic approach to corrections. Our management system must lend itself to our new policy direction. Our management of offenders must be such that it succeeds in its objective of ultimate reintegration into society driven by rehabilitation. Our service delivery must be people-driven and our partnerships with others must enhance and strengthen rehabilitation. There is a need to formalize collaborative partnerships and networks if we want to have a reasonable chance of success with this initiative.

At the heart of our core business remains the provision of a secure, safe and humane environment in which rehabilitation can take place through correction, development and care.

Our best chance of success with our core business demands that all our programmes must by its very nature be offender-specific. The individual needs of offenders must be assessed and an offender-specific plan must be put in place. I do realise that with a greater emphasis being put on the needs of the offender, it could open us to even further criticism about the rights of offenders in relation to the rights of victims of crime. But it is an issue that we must confront and deal with. As the correctional service of this country, we are tasked with correcting offending behaviour and facilitating the bringing about of a permanent positive change in the lives of offenders. To do this, we cannot be inhumane. Inhumanity begets inhumanity. We cannot only be punitive in wanting to change their lives. We need to get the balance between protecting society against the criminality of offenders and permanently correcting the attitudes that result in offending behaviour.

In this regard, we must also evaluate whether communities are contributing towards the creation of an environment that lends itself to the criminal activities of offenders. While it remains the responsibility of government to ensure compliance with the law, it is also critical that communities and community involvement are at the centre of crime prevention. Our attempts at establishing these Centres of Excellence would result in a waste of resources if we release offenders into communities where circumstances favour repeat offending. It is therefore absolutely important that our Centres of Excellence should be reaching out to communities and turning these centres into places owned by the communities.

As I have said earlier, the Centres of Excellence is a new beginning. These Centres are pioneers in the field of corrections in our country. You are trendsetters. The bar has been raised for you. In order to navigate your way, you need the plan, the tools, the support and the will. You cannot afford to get this wrong.

In launching this project, let us remain mindful of where we are and where we are heading to. It is not going to be easy. We are going to be criticised. We are going to experience frustrations along the way. There will be no easy victories. Yet, there is the prospect of success.

It is how we decide to approach it that will count. You as correctional officials are at the coalface. Let us take this chance to forever change the public perception of the correctional system and its members. I am confident that, together, we will make the difference.

Let this day be remembered as the first day of ongoing, dynamic, permanent and positive change. Let us rise as one to the challenge. Let the Centres of Excellence become a bulwark against crime and criminality.

Let excellence become a habit and mediocrity a distant memory.

I now officially declare the Centres of Excellence as the first step in our search for a correctional system that truly cares for all.

I thank you.

Issued by: Minister of Correctional Services
15 August 2005

SPONSORED BY

Advanced