Question NW1601 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
29 June 2023 - NW1601
Mogale, Mr T to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
(1)Whether, in light of the Thabo Bester prison escape saga, which has brought to light the corruption in our correctional service centres where for the right fee prison officials collaborate with inmates to allow banned items, prison officials undergo (a) lifestyle audits and (b) security threat assessments; if not, why not; if so, what (i) measures are put in place to ensure that the ongoing corruption in correctional facilities is dealt with and (ii) are the relevant details; (2) whether he and/or his department have conducted any investigation regarding the use of prisoners as hitmen; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. The Department conducts Personnel suitability checks (PSC) on current officials and new appointments to determine the suitability of a candidate pre and post- employment by the DCS.
The screening is based on five pillars such as Citizenship, Criminal record, Finances including credit checks, Property checks and directorship in companies, analysis of financial statements, verification of qualifications and registration with professional bodies and previous employment record.
A fully security vetting which entails information collection and analysis about the candidate/ official background, covering the nine factors of lifestyle audit to determine a person`s security competence and reliability is conducted, based on the level of access to information.
The nine factors include the following aspects:
- Family background and upbringing
- Education
- Employment ad work ethics
- Social life and social media activity checks
- Finances
- Personality
- Values
- Legal aspects
- Loyalty
b) DCS conducts Security Threats Assessment (TRA) in conjunction with stakeholders such as South African Police Services (SAPS) and State Security Agency (SSA)
Security Treats Assessments (TRA) are conducted in all DCS Correctional Facilities pre and post security incidents to mitigate as well as to investigate risks posed to the DCS.
TRA were conducted at most Maximum Correctional Facilities, Medium Correctional facilities and Community Correctional Offices.
(i) Measures such as the Security Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in combating smuggling of contrabands and illicit activities are implemented, furthermore, the DCS has a Code of Conduct that all its employees must abide too and the use of the Anti- Corruption Strategy is in place.
(2) The DCS has not had an incident of offenders being used as hit men.
END