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Date : 17/08/2004
Source: Ministry of Correctional Services
Title: N Balfour: Select Committee on Security & Constitutional Affairs workshop


WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, MR BMN BALFOUR, MP, AT THE WORKSHOP HOSTED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON SECURITY AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS IN THE NCOP, Goodwood Correctional Centre, 17 August 2004

Programme Director
Deputy Minister Ms Cheryl Gillwald
Chairperson of the Select Committee Kgoshi Mokoena
Members of the Select Committee
Commissioner Mr Linda Mti
Officials, Ladies and Gentlemen

I am immensely pleased that this crucial information session between the Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Affairs and the Department of Correctional Services is taking place this morning.

It is a workshop that should be of tremendous benefit to both the Department and the Select Committee. It gives the Department the opportunity to outline not only our policy directions but also our strategic plans for the next three years, while at the same time giving the Select Committee the information and the tools with which to give effect to your mission of promoting rehabilitation, development and education of the entire prison community.

I thus want to take this opportunity this morning to welcome each one of you under the leadership and guidance of the chairperson, Kgoshi Mokoena. Unlike the Portfolio Committee that is only responsible for Correctional Services, the Select Committee has a responsibility for four departments that include Correctional Services, Justice and Constitutional Development, Safety and Security and Defence. It gives you a tremendous advantage in that you deal with the complete spectrum of the criminal justice system, allowing you the scope to bring significant influence to bear on all components of the justice system.

Furthermore, you are strategically placed to give maximum effect to your vision of oversight over the national executive in the sense that the Department of Correctional Services is not directly linked to Provincial Members of Executive Committees. I am especially pleased that amongst your objectives are the implementation of the Correctional Services Act in as far as it seeks to ensure that prison conditions comply with our country's constitution and the implementation of the new policy on community participation in parole decisions.

In this regard, our newly-adopted White Paper on Corrections in South Africa is the guiding document derived from the Correctional Services Act and over the next two days, it is my hope that you will engage and interrogate the contents of the White Paper, and in this way, assist us in its effective implementation.

When the Deputy Minister and I took office little over three months ago, we committed ourselves to the ongoing transformation of the Department of Correctional Services in line with government policy. During the first decade of democracy and freedom, the criminal justice system has undergone major transformation shifts. With Correctional Services making up the final link in the criminal justice system chain, we arguably did not keep apace with the transformation processes underway and to some extent, might have lagged behind. There was a need for stability in leadership and management and much of this was introduced when the restructuring process of Correctional Services was implemented. My predecessor took the initiative in this regard and now it us up to all stakeholders in Correctional Services to ensure that we give effect to our objectives of a better life for all South Africans, more so in our areas of jurisdiction and responsibility.

I am, therefore, pleased to announce that Commissioner Linda Mti has had his contract extended for a further term of three years, allowing him to continue implementing the policy and structural changes in conjunction with all stakeholders, in pursuit of our ideal of making the department one of the leading correctional systems in the world.

In recent weeks, you would have been confronted in the public arena with some of the challenges that we face in Correctional Services, including that of overcrowding, escapes, illegal industrial action by members of POPCRU, corruptive practices, court challenges by inmates, disciplinary processes against members, the matter of parole, the overtime establishment, conditions of service and salary parity. These are all matters that are at the forefront of our responsibilities and it is important that members of the Select Committee are appraised thereof in order for you to fulfil your mandate entrusted to you by Parliament but also to provide leadership in line with your legislative functions.

Within the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster (JCPS Cluster), our focus is on furthering integrated governance and our programmes are consistently aimed at contributing towards our security priorities as spelt out by the President in his State of the Nation Address. This Committee can contribute significantly to our work within this Cluster, especially as it relates to matters dealing with awaiting trial detainees and juveniles in correctional centres.

Earlier this year, in delivering my Budget Vote in the NCOP, I stressed that much of my term of office will be dedicated to effective correction, focused rehabilitation and the social reintegration of offenders into their communities.

I invited you to partner me in this regard and pointed out the need for levels of partnerships to be extended to provincial departments responsible for safety and security, social development, health and even education. I invited you to join our outreach programmes planned for September during which we will be engaging stakeholders including political leaders in the provinces. The theme of our outreach programmes would be "Correction as a Societal Responsibility", a subject that will be dealt with today in the White Paper.

Again, I want to ask you to join us in ensuring that our resources are prioritised towards correction and development of our youth, with an emphasis on first time offenders. You can play a major role in influencing greater use of appropriate alternative sentencing options in the criminal justice system and thus contribute to developing our capacity for effective and efficient correction and rehabilitation.

During your proposed visits to Correctional Centres, I want to urge you to pay particular attention to both the care and security of inmates as well as the well-being of our members. The one influences the other and you should be expressing yourselves on matters such as conditions of service of members, conditions of our facilities, discipline and corruption and the delivery of our core services, amongst others. But in doing that, let it be critically constructive.

It is not good enough criticising without presenting viable and practical alternatives to areas of criticism. If you discover that management in any of our correctional centres is weak, as an example, tell us that, but also recommend how you believe it can be addressed.

It is such partnerships that will allow all of us to deliver on our respective mandates. We might come from different political persuasions and parties but that does not mean that we cannot cooperate in areas where service delivery is at stake. As Members of Parliament, we are accountable to the public of South Africa.

Let us join hands in truly transforming this country and by implication, transforming and changing Correctional Services into the government department that we all envisage it to be. Do make every use of the opportunity to deliberate on the presentations that are going to be made to you. The officials, under the guidance of Commissioner Mti, have a responsibility to ensure that you are provided with all the information that you seek. In this way, you would be helping us in the department to further empower ourselves in fulfilling our mandate within correctional Services.

Once, again, a hearty, warm Correctional welcome to all of you.

Issued by: Ministry of Correctional Services
17 August 2004
Source: Department of Correctional Services (http://www.dcs.gov.za)

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