Question NW1869 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

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25 November 2020 - NW1869

Profile picture: Dyantyi, Mr QR

Dyantyi, Mr QR to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

Whether he and/or his department have determined how the next tranche of the funds set aside for the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic will be allocated; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether he has found that a fair, transparent, competitive bidding process was followed in the disbursement of the first tranche of the allocation; if so, what are the relevant details including the quality of personal protective equipment that was procured?

Reply:

1. The Department of Correctional of Correctional Services (DCS) did not receive any allocation from the R500 billion economic support package but viremented funds from its 2020/21 baseline allocation to fund the financial impact of COVID-19. The virement is part of the Adjustments Appropriation Act, 2020 assented to by the President on 14 August 2020. The total estimated COVID- 19 expenditure for 2020/21 financial year amounts to R606. 947 million broken down follows:

Componsation of Employees- R63. 8 million

Increase in capacity of Health Care Workers through the recruitment on a one- year contract of 366 enrolled/ retired nurses to enhance the provision of primary health care services and the screening of staff on health-related matters.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and Medical Supplies- R212. 237 million 

Procurement  of PPEs and infrared thermometer scanners for DCS members and inmates (masks including N95 and surgical masks, surface and hand sanitizers, and gloves). Provision for increased medical supplies including flu vaccines and other medicines.

Quarantine/ Isolation Units and Generators- R21. 640 million

 Installation and rental of eleven (11) temporary quarantine/ isolation units required in several correctional facilities nationwide, and procurement of generators.

Laundry Machines for Isolation, / Quarantine Sites – R1. 375 million

Procurement of mattresses for inmates quarantine/ isolation sites.

Information Technology- R250 million

  • Maintaining inmates contact with families by communicating through video visits, Inmates Telephone System and Message Link.
  • Integrated Security System- Security management system and implementation of body security scanners as a threat detection solution which combines ultra- low radiation with maximum visibility.

Computer  Equipment and Medical Equipment- R1.117 million

Procurement of laptops and medical equipment such as pharmaceutical fridges.

Decontamination of Correctional Facilities- R33. 585 million

Decontamination of Correctional Facilities especially in instances of confirmed infected officials and inmates.

 

2.  The National Treasury Note 8 of 20219/20: Emergency Procurement in Response to National State of Disaster specified that institutions may place orders with suppliers listed on the transversal contract for the specific items required. The nature of the goods required were  not goods ordinarily procured and the high demand of these items by both the private and public sector led to a shortage of supplies in the market leading to the inability of service providers on the transversal contracts to meet demand and they failed to deliver the required Personal Protective  Equipment (PPE)

Department of Correctional Services communicated with the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO) at National Treasury by email on 27 March 2020 to inform the OCPO that the Department would deviate from the National Treasury Instruction Note 8 2019/20 and procure items required for immediate delivery as an interim measure while awaiting deliveries from those suppliers listed on the transversal contract.

Department of Correctional Services Health Services was requested to verify and or approve samples before placement of purchase orders from the respective suppliers. This was to ensure that the quality of procured personal proactive equipment was in accordance with the required quality standards determined by the Department of Health, Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) and South African National Accreditation System (SANAS)

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