Demilitarisation, MEDCOR & Departmental activities

Correctional Services

03 September 2002
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Meeting report

CORRECTIONAL SERVICES PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE


3 September 2002
DEMILITARISATION, MEDCOR & DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES

Chairperson:

Mr N B Mashimbye (ANC)

Documents Handed Out:
Briefing by Department on Demilitarisation, MEDCOR and Departmental Activities
The Department of Correctional Services briefed the Committee on its demilitarisation strategy, its medical aid fund and on Departmental activities. They pointed out that the biggest problem as far as demilitarisation was concerned was discipline and not the issue of uniforms as argued. Their medical aid fund, MEDCOR, had been the subject of much controversy amidst allegations of fraud. The Department had almost come to the resolution of letting its employees contract medical aid for themselves through a Department grant.

MINUTES
The Chairperson, Mr Mashimbye, started by pointing out that the HIV/AIDS issue would not be part of the day's presentation because the HIV/AIDS policy had not been discussed within the Committee by Members.

He then handed over to the Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Mthi, who introduced some of his colleagues including Mr Mhlubi, Mr Ngubo and Mr Govender.

Briefing on demilitarisation

Mr Mthi pointed out that a focus on demilitarisation is central in the Department at the moment, especially concerning the issue of retraining. The focus was on how much of a shift has taken place from this being a Department of prisons to a Department of Correctional Services.

He then handed over to Mr Mhlubi, a Departmental official to carry out the presentation.
Mr Mhlubi noted that demilitarisation has currently been secondary to personnel training as the Commissioner had earlier alluded to.

About 33% of the personnel are currently not ready to carry out their duties efficiently, hence their decision to train and develop their employees, including the 33%. At present, the Department does not have trainers to carry out these functions properly. Clearly, there is a need to focus more on training than on demilitarisation.

He pointed out further that facilities are also an issue for the Department. Since the shift in focus from prisons to correctional services, it is clear that there is no longer a need for prisons but correctional centres. The challenge is how to transform the existing prisons into such centres because it is clear that these facilities were not built with correctional considerations in mind.

He also pointed out that the issue of discipline is a problem. The biggest problem is that some employees tend to think that they are the core business of the Department. However, prisoners and not officials are the core business of the Department.

Mr Govender, another Departmental official, pointed out that the issue of training has to be in line with what the Department has conceptualised as rehabilitation. To this end, they engaged the services of SETA and they have given them provisional accreditation as a training agency. Because of the legacy of apartheid, which excluded many non-whites from special training, their focus herein is on the historically disadvantaged.

The Chairperson pointed out that the duty of the Committee is to check what the Department has been doing since 1996.

Discussion
Mr Fihla (ANC) thanked the Department for their presentation and for the early response by the Department to their questions. He noted that the deterioration in the area of discipline cuts across many areas of government. Regarding the training, he pointed out that both old and new members of the Department should receive this training.

Ms Seaton (IFP) pointed out that sometimes it is difficult to differentiate between prisoner and warder due to behaviour and this should be changed.

Mr Diale (ANC) commented on the issue training that society has been negatively affected by the apartheid system, therefore the mentality is not right, this training should look specifically at addressing this issue.

The Chairperson pointed out that this Department is very unique in that sometimes they deal with petty and dangerous criminals, so they cannot be too regulated, since they deal with different issues from other Departments.

He also added that the issue of detention without trail should also be looked at because otherwise you unwittingly allow terrorists to sabotage the state as in the case of September 11 last year.

On the issue of demilitarisation, the Commissioner reiterated that it is not the uniform issue more than it is the discipline issue. Some area managers have pointed out that they deal more with personnel than prisoner related cases per month.

The Commissioner also pointed out that they need to review their disciplinary policies which are so liberal. He also pointed out that in terms of colour, it is probably the most transformed Department in the country, but in terms of performance, much still needs to be done.

Mr Van Deventer (NNP)-pointed out that the issue of discipline is indeed paramount to the success of the objectives within the Department. He also commented that the labour laws will also have to be reconsidered because they currently overprotect the workers and give them a sense of 'control' over the system, which is not good.

The Chairperson asked as to what has happened to the retraining of old personnel and also that besides issues of discipline and the security chamber, what else should the committee consider as serious issues?

Mr Govender pointed out that performance management is one issue which has been well addressed in the Department. He added that the issue of discipline also has a lot to do with the this issue of performance management. By this he meant that if performance agreements were to be formulated for every level of employment, this would greatly help curb the discipline problem.

Briefing on MEDCOR

The Commissioner, Mr Mthi, then briefed the Committee about MEDCOR, the medical scheme for employees within the Department. He pointed out that the issue of corruption within the Department and with service providers, such as doctors, is a problem which he encountered when coming into the position. He then handed over to Mr Ngubo for the presentation.

Mr Ngubo pointed out that the budget of the Department amounts to R 6.8 billion where MEDCOR is allocated R 630 million per annum. He added that MEDCOR accounts to the Board of Trustees, Principal Officer and Statutory Committees.

He pointed out that they had established that the premium of R75 per month was found to be too little and they then hired an actuary to determine the actual costs and therefore the new premium. The management of the scheme is through the board of trustees. The capacity building process of the board of trustees included training to understand their duties, financial management and acting in the interest of the scheme at all times. This training was made all the more important because of the presence of some board of trustees members, especially from the unions, who were not very clear with the issues concerned. Lastly, he pointed out that personnel costs grew by 6% but medical inflation grew by 15% pa, hence the need to finance the MEDCOR budget more.

The meeting was adjourned.

 

SUMMARY


 

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