1 Presentation to Portfolio Committee on Vetting within Correctional Services : 2009/ November 2009

2 CONTENTS  Introduction  Current Structure of the Vetting Field Work Unit in DCS  Personal Suitability Checks in DCS  Progress on Personal Suitability Checks in DCS  Progress on Vetting  Current Constraints on Vetting and Mitigation of these Constraints

3 Introduction Vetting used to be the responsibility of the National Intelligence Agency The National Vetting Strategy was approved in December 2006, and the DCS Vetting Field Work Unit (VFU) was established in November 2007 DCS and NIA signed a vetting Memorandum of understanding in March 2008

4 CURRENT STRUCTURE OF THE VETTING FIELD WORK UNIT IN DCS ACTING NATIONAL COMMISSIONER JA Schreiner DIRECTOR SECURITY STANDARDS NC Madikiza 1 X DEPUTY DIRECTOR (L11) PHYSICAL SECURITY Vacant 4 X ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (L9) PHYSICAL SECURITY SJ Sefodi 3 posts vacant 1 X DEPUTY DIRECTOR (L11) INFORMATION SECURITY Vacant 4 X ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (L9) INFORMATION SECURITY 4 posts vacant 1 X DEPUTY DIRECTOR (L12) VETTING Vacant 8 X ASSISTANT DIRECTOR VETTING INVESTIGATORS FN Joseph M Griesel NTL Shongwe 5 posts vacant 2 x SENIOR CORRECTIONAL OFFICER ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT RN Somaru 1post vacant 1 X SENIOR CORRECTIONAL OFFICER ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT LEB Magaba SECRETARY CO: BS Mahlangu

5 PERSONAL SUITABILITY CHECKS IN DCS The implementation of the National Vetting Strategy, and a determination by the Minister for the DPSA required that the following minimum information must be verified, before appointment (referred to as Personal Suitability checks):- –Criminal Record Checks. –Citizenship verification. –Financial/ Asset record checks. –Qualification verifications. –Previous employment verification. NIA assisted the DCS with financial and asset record checks from 2002 till current.

6 PERSONAL SUITABILITY CHECKS IN DCS cont- NIA will continue to conduct citizenship verifications, and criminal record checks as part of its mandate

7 PROGRESS ON PERSONAL SUITABILITY CHECKS IN DCS Number of Personal Suitability Checks on appointments received by the VFU since 1 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 –1489 Number of Personal Suitability Checks on appointments finalized by the VFU period: 1 April March 2009:- –1473

8 PROGRESS ON PERSONAL SUITABILITY CHECKS IN DCS Number of Personal Suitability Checks on appointments received by the VFU since 1 April 2009 – 31 October 2009:- –636 Number of Personal Suitability Checks on appointments finalized by the VFU period: 1 April October 2009:- –624

9 Personal Suitability Checks in the DCS

10 PROGRESS ON VETTING Number of officials issued with security clearances: 2008: : 33 (until 31 October 2009) The reason for the decline in terms of security clearances issued is due to the lack of a service provider to conduct credit checks for the Department of Correctional Services. Currently NIA is still providing this function. NIA however has their own capacity problems and from there the decline in the clearances issued

11 Security clearances issued in the DCS

12 PROGRESS ON VETTING cont- DCS is currently developing a vetting plan to prioritize vetting based on the recommendations of the Threat and Risk Assessment conducted by the NIA and SAPS, as well the internal risk assessment of DCS and the inherent requirements of posts, and the vulnerability of information and assets. This vetting plan is in the process of finalization. The VFU is also in process to verify the vetting of the following categories of staff as part of the priorities identified for vetting:- –Officials in the offices of the Ministry and the National Commissioner. –Officials working in Maximum Correctional Centers –Officials having access to Persal –All SMS members

13 CURRENT CONSTRAINTS ON VETTING AND MITIGATION OF THESE CONSTRAINTS CONSTRAINTSMITIGATE RESOURCESLack of an external service provider to conduct credit record checks, assets and qualification verification. BACKLOG OF VETTING IN DCS Vetting Plan in process of finalization. Currently the Vetting Fieldwork is understaffed. Vacant posts were advertised in June 2008 and interviews conducted but due to the moratorium on posts within the DCS these posts were not filled.

14 “Together doing more and better to break the cycle of crime”.