1. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
BRIEFING TO
PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
27 AUGUST 2004
KWAZULU/NATAL
Transforming prisons into correctional centres - places of new beginnings

2. Purpose of the presentation
The presentation focuses on aspects concerning
the Kwazulu/Natal Region relating to the following:
Operational Plan Implementation
Extent of Overcrowding
Security and Safety
Education
Production
Correction, Development & Care Interventions
Health
Personnel
Anti-corruption
Department of Correctional Services – Kwazul/atal
Purpose of the presentation

3. Operational Plan Implementation
KEY STRATEGIES:
Administration
Focus Areas are Fraud & Anti-Corruption,
Compliance with policies, Employee Wellness Plan,
HR Development;
Security
Focus Areas are the Safety & Security of inmates,
members and visitors as well as addressing escapes;
Corrections
Focus Areas are the full implementation of Unit
Management, establishing Centres of Excellence,
the implementation of the White Paper principles &
Act 111 of 1998;
Department of Correctional Services
Operational Plan Implementation

4. Operational Plan Implementation
KEY STRATEGIES continued:
Care
Focus areas include determining baselines to
address the gaps in present Care programmes
offered to inmates and probationers/parolees to
enhance rehabilitation and accessible Health Care;
Development
Focus area are to improve the educational level of
inmates through ABET, formal and skills
development training at Production Workshop,
Asset Maintenance and on Farming Centres;
Department of Correctional Services
Operational Plan Implementation

5. Operational Plan Implementation
KEY STRATEGIES continued:
After Care
The main focus areas are
Facilitate the successful re-integration of offenders into
the community through needs based programmes,
supervision & monitoring;
To meet with the Judiciary to encourage the use of
Community Corrections as an alternative sentencing option
to address over-crowding;
Facilities
The focus areas include identifying and registering the
need for facilities requiring upgrading that are geared to
enhance the White paper principles and to provide for
office accommodation needs;
Department of Correctional Services
Operational Plan Implementation

6. Extent of Overcrowding - KZN Inmate Totals as at 31 July 2004
Department of Correctional Services
Extent of Overcrowding - KZN
Inmate Totals as at 31 July 2004
Approved
Accommodation
18566
Actual
30155
162%
Maximums
6476
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000

7. Extent of Overcrowding Inmate Totals as at 31 July 2004 –KZN
Department of Correctional Services
Extent of Overcrowding
Inmate Totals as at 31 July 2004 –KZN

8. Extent of Overcrowding – ATD’s
There is presently a critical overcrowding of Awaiting
Trial Detainees (ATD’s) at:
Durban Medium A at 214%
Estcourt at 211%
Empangeni Medium at 171%
Strategies to reduce overcrowding include:
Liaison with the IJS to apply plea bargaining and
admission of guilt instead of referral to DCS;
Application of Section 63(a) and 72(1) of Criminal
Procedure Act to release under Community
Corrections and bails less than R1000;
Applying section 62(f) by Justice to refer ATD’s under
Community Corrections instead of referral to
Correctional Centres;
Department of Correctional Services
Extent of Overcrowding – ATD’s

9. Extent of Overcrowding
There is presently a critical overcrowding of Sentenced
Offenders at:
Durban Medium B at 247%
Waterval Medium A at 188%
Waterval Medium B at 155%
Port Shepstone at 227%
Strategies to reduce such overcrowding include:
Offenders with approved parole dates released asap;
Conversion of sentences according to minimum
periods to Community Corrections;
Monthly monitoring of accommodation totals to
facilitate transfers where possible;
Department of Correctional Services
Extent of Overcrowding
Sentenced Offenders

10. Security and Safety of Inmates
Department of Correctional Services
Security and Safety of Inmates
Escapes to 2004

11. Security and Safety of Inmates
SUICIDES - Inmates
During 2003 two(2) suicides occurred namely one
at Sevontein and the other at Durban Medium B;
During the course of 2004 one suicide has
occurred at Pietermaritzburg;
Department of Correctional Services
Security and Safety of Inmates

12. Security and Safety of Inmates Prison Violence - Assaults
Department of Correctional Services
Security and Safety of Inmates
Prison Violence - Assaults

13. Involvement of Inmates in Education - KZN
Department of Correctional Services
Involvement of Inmates in Education - KZN

14. Involvement of inmates – Education
Department of Correctional Services
Involvement of inmates – Education
CHALLENGES
Filling of vacant posts
Need for additional Classrooms
Assessor Training to all staff members
ABET Training to new appointees
PLANS
Appointments are being presently finalised
Needs have been registered with H/O
80% Staff have been trained
Rotary Club funding for ABET Training

15. Involvement of inmates - Production
FARMING ACTIVITIES
429 Inmates are involved with Agricultural activities at
Glencoe, Sevontein, Waterval and Ncome which
includes vegetable, piggery, dairy, beef, egg-laying;
According to a Regional Farm plan, targets are set
to improve agricultural production to enhance self-
sufficiency and to focus on the training of 670 offenders in
agricultural skills;
Department of Correctional Services
Involvement of inmates - Production

16. Involvement of inmates – Production (Farming)
Department of Correctional Services
Involvement of inmates – Production (Farming)
CHALLENGES
The main challenge during the present financial year is water restrictions due to the drought at the farming activity centres especially at Ncome;
Stock Theft
Agricultural Technician vacancies
PLANS
This has been addressed by moving activities/ livestock to those centres that can accommodate the functions
15 Members have been trained by SAPS in stock control measures
Vacant posts have been reported to be filled

17. Involvement of inmates - Production
PRODUCTION WORKSHOP
87 Inmates are involved in the Textile Production Workshop
in Durban ;
The Textile Production Workshop focusses on training
inmates in the following aspects:
Basic Sewing Skills Manufacturing Garments
Pattern Layout & cutting Occupational Health and Safety
Garments are manufactured for other Correctional Centres
according to an annual production schedule based on
the needs registered – garments are scheduled for
the 2004/2005 financial year compared to of the
previous financial year;
Department of Correctional Services
Involvement of inmates - Production

18. Involvement of inmates – Production Workshop - Durban
Department of Correctional Services
Involvement of inmates – Production Workshop - Durban
PLANS
Needs have been registered for an additional m of material
Workshop hours have been adapted to commence at 09H00 instead of at 07H30 to accommodate other courses
CHALLENGES
The un-availability of material – existing material will only last until end of September 2004
Other training courses such as ABET and formal education training courses limit the hours available to work in the Production Workshop

19. Involvement of inmates – Production Workshop - Pietermaritzburg
Department of Correctional Services
Involvement of inmates – Production Workshop - Pietermaritzburg
CHALLENGES
Vacancies at the Pietermaritzburg Production are to be filled – ie. Area Coordinator post/Artisans as trainers;
Only the Textile Section has been operating, whereas the facility provides for Wood- and Steelworks;
PLANS
The need to fill the post has been registered as critical with H/O
On the Pietermaritzburg Production Workshop was identified as a focus area for establishing Centres of Excellence in the Region

20. Corrections and Development
Correctional & Care Interventions
On average 6000 offenders are involved in intervention
programmes per month;
The following are generic programmes being offered:
Marriage & Family Care Life Skills
Alcohol & Drug Abuse Orientation
Sexual Offender Programme Aggressive Offender Programme
Trauma Counselling HIV/AIDS Programme
Pre-release Programme
Parenting Programme – mostly Female Inmates
Department of Correctional Services
Corrections and Development
& Care Interventions

21. Corrections and Development
& Care Interventions
Challenges
Shortage of resources
Priority focus on security hampers rehabilitation efforts
Insufficient community participation
Plans
Utilisation of casual staff/external volunteers where possible
Team approach is encouraged
Marketing of DCS to community structures
Auditing of programmes offered by external organisations to adopt a structured approach
Regional meetings with external service providers

22. Health of Inmates Programmes/Interventions offered to inmates:
* Health Promotion and awareness campaigns to
inmates such as Personal Hygiene, Chronic Diseases,
Communicable & Sexually Transmitted infections
diseases and Healthy Living programmes;
* HIV/AIDS Counselling, and awareness campaigns;
* Anti-retroviral Drugs treatment – inmates are
referred to external public hospitals as the DCS
was not included within the National Programme in
terms of needs analysis and funding;
* Serving of three meals in accordance with Act 111
of 1998 – implemented at 70% of centres in the
Region and in the process of further implementation;
Health of Inmates

23. Health of Inmates CHALLENGES
Department of Correctional Services
Health of Inmates
CHALLENGES
Shortage of Health Care personnel Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists especially in rural areas
PLANS
Offenders have been trained as Peer Educators at centres,
External role-players are utilised to sensitize inmates on health issues,
2 Pharmacists are serving community service in DCS
Contract Pharmacists are appointed where possible

24. Health of Inmates continued
Department of Correctional Services
Health of Inmates continued
CHALLENGES
Shortage of trained HIV/AIDS counsellors;
DCS was not accommodated in National ARV Roll-out Programme
Attracting and retraining services of Health Care professionals
PLANS
Need is registered with KZN Dept of Health to second lay Counsellors to DCS;
The needs are registered with Dep of Health – in the interim public external Hospitals are utilised
This is a National challenge & proposals have been submitted to H/O to register with DPSA

25. Personnel - Work Conditions
Restructuring has brought about a need for office
accommodation at Regional and Management Area levels;
Overcrowding in centres creates an un-safe environment
and limits the effectual presentation of intervention
programmes to inmates due to staff shortages;
The gross staff shortages has lead to a situation where
numerous members are acting in posts after restructuring
during 2003 and who are also required to deal with the
post demands of their posts in which they were placed
after restructuring, leading to lack of continuity in the job
performance and negatively influencing productivity;
Department of Correctional Services
Personnel - Work Conditions

26. Personnel - Staff Morale
Department of Correctional Services
Personnel - Staff Morale
Challenges
No induction orientation or exit programmes;
No promotion policy especially at levels 3 to 6;
Uncertainty about future of overtime;
Low housing and Medical Aid subsidies;
No exiting Career development and career pathing programmes
Plans
The majority of the concerns are included in a newly developed Employee Wellness Plan for the Region to be addressed however more Employee Assistance Practitioners are necessary to assist with the low morale where possible;
National HRD Strategy is in the process of being developed;

27. Personnel - Discipline
Department of Correctional Services
Personnel - Discipline
Challenges
Sufficiently trained Chairpersons and Initiators to deal with disciplinary hearings
Outstanding disciplinary hearing – as at end July there were 55 outstanding
Plans
Training for Initiating & Chairing appeal hearings has been provided to 16 members
19 Members have been trained as Investigating Officers;
This is monitored monthly by Corporate Services;
During Regional Management Board this issue is discussed and Area Commissioners are required to deal with all cases older than 3 months by a set due date;

28. Personnel – Training of Members
Department of Correctional Services
Personnel – Training of Members
April – June 2004
Course
Members Trained
Unit Management
295
Restorative Justice
254
Registration/Archives 15
HIV/AIDS Awareness 14
Non Lethal Stun Devices 5
Fingerprint Course 16
Investigating Officers 19
9 mm Shooting 69
Personnel Assessment 80

29. Personnel – Training of Members
Department of Correctional Services
Personnel – Training of Members
April – June 2004 continued
Course
Members Trained
Community Corrections 8
Fire-Fighting 62
OHS Act 10
First Aid Training
161
Performance Management 24
Self-Defence 16
Head Correctional Centre/Unit 42
Monitoring Officials 9
White Paper Orientation Training
1044

30. Personnel – Training of Members
Department of Correctional Services
Personnel – Training of Members
April – June 2004 continued
Course
Members Trained
Initiators & Chairperson of Disc Appeal Hearings 16
Challenges
All Management Areas do not have Trainers – vacant posts;
Insufficient budget allocated according to HRD Business Plan
Plans
Personnel are sent to the Management Area for training where courses are being offered;
Only certain training can be offered according to allocated funds

31. Anti-Corruption Strategy - KZN
Department of Correctional Services
Anti-Corruption Strategy - KZN
In order to address corruption the following measures are being implemented:
To reduce audit queries – monthly control is being exercised;
A financial risk-management plan is being compiled focusing on identified risk areas emanating from audit queries;
Non-compliance to policies and procedures is being addressed through the implementation of a monthly checklist system;

32. Thank you
Department of Correctional Services