Publications
Partners
Of recent it has become known that the Department has now ventured into supplying awaiting trial detainees with uniforms to distinguish them as and when they attend court proceedings from private individuals that may be present.
This kind of decision holds no water, as awaiting trial detainees are transported to and from court in official SAPS vehicles, are being detained at Court cells and do not mix with private citizens, and when admitted into court, only have access through a designated staircase that leads from the cell into the court. All awaiting detainees being under the jurisdiction of the SAPS and not of the Department of Correctional Services.
The Department in some weird and wonderful decision decided that it is of the utmost importance that such yellow attire be worn by awaiting trial detainees for which it has ample budget at this point in time. Such detainees are up to being sentence, under the jurisdiction of the SAPS and now the Department is wasting budget which is meant for its own purposes, in providing attire for people that are not under its jurisdiction.
Ironically, its own staff members, do not have sufficient supply and stock of uniforms, and have to wait out lengthy periods as and when they request to be supplied with such uniforms.
The Department pays approximately R 50 million per month, for the administration of each of the private correctional centers at Bloemfontein (Mangaung) and Polokwane (Kutama) yet its management and administration has been lacking on a number of levels, and such money could have been more wisely spent on addressing issues that are desperately requiring attention within its own ambit of operation.
Such correctional centers may even be converted into being able to accommodate disabled offenders, seeing that this is at the present moment ‘the flavour of the day’ in view of the Oscar Pretorius sentencing matter.
The Department seem to have their priorities all mixed up, and in the process neglect its employees which is it greatest assets and without which it can not function.
Your attention in this regard would be appreciated.
