Budget Adjustment/ Medical Scheme/ Labour Relations Audit: briefing by the department

Meeting report

CORRECTIONAL SERVICES PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE

18 FEBRUARY 1998

BUDGET ADJUSTMENT / MEDICAL SCHEME / LABOUR RELATIONS AUDIT: BRIEFING BY THE DEPARTMENT

Documents handed out:

Explanatory memorandum on Adjustment Estimate 1997/8

Correctional Services Medical Scheme

Definition of a Labour Relations Audit

Mr Tshivhase, Deputy Commissioner of Financial Services for the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), gave a presentation on the Budget Adjustment 1997/98. He outlined the aim of the department which is the community re-integration of prisoners. He explained the programmes that are in place to effect the aim of the DCS.

He explained that a 2,10% increase had been made on the Budget for 1997/98:

The amount voted was R 3 319 595 million

The adjustment estimate was R 69 586 million

This gave a total of R 3 389 181 million

He provided a full explanation for the increase or decrease on the vote in each of the following DCS programmes:

Operational management - Increase of R25 361 million

Incarceration - Decrease of R37 205 million

Development of offenders - Increase of R7 807 million

Community Corrections - Increase of R38 478 million

Auxiliary & Associated services - Increase of R35 145 million

He gave an account of why there was an increase or decrease in standard items in DCS:

Personnel expenditure - Decrease of R 12 844 million

Administrative expenditure - Increase of R16 420 million

Stores and livestock - Increase of R28 776 million

Equipment - Increase of R17 838 million

Land & buildings - Decrease of R 8 000 million

Professional & special services - Increase of R 15 782 million

Transfer payments - Increase of R 3 622 million

Ms Hani (ANC) wanted to know how much had been spent on HIV positive inmates. Mr Tshivhase said that he would have to find out the exact figure.

A presentation was given on the Correctional Services Medical Scheme (Medcor). Questions were asked as regards to transparency and as to why traditional healers are not included in the scheme. The answer regarding traditional healers was that the department was currently studying that possibility drawing from the experience of Eskom which had faced this issue in the past.

An explanation followed of the Labour Relations Audit taking place in the DCS. A concern was expressed by Committee members regarding the tendency of the DCS to seek consultancy. The consultants would make recommendations and then further consultants would be used to implement their recommendations. The question was put to the DCS as to how long it intended to conduct its business that way. It was then suggested that the Department itself should implement the recommendations. A Department official replied that it was in the process of developing its human resource pool in order to reverse this situation.