Cape Town - National Correctional Services commissioner Zach Modise says an ongoing case, in which a group of coloured warders are challenging the department’s implementation of employment equity, has strained relations among staff in the Western Cape.
Ten Correctional Services officers have taken their case to the Constitutional Court to have the department’s employment equity plan declared invalid. This after the Labour Appeal Court dismissed their appeal against a 2013 Labour Court ruling which they found unsatisfactory.
Modise, who was appointed in June, said his department was well aware of issues of “representivity” in the Cape, which has prompted the department’s implementation of national demographics in its application of employment equity.
“We are prepared to implement whatever court decision. We also would like to restore relations in this particular region. For us, that’s going to be crucial,” Modise said on Tuesday.
“There’s friction among senior staff. Some would like things to be done one way while others are saying that ‘we’re still awaiting the finalisation of this matter’.”
Earlier, he spoke to staff at Goodwood Correctional facility in a closed meeting to address issues and listen to concerns. This formed part of a nationwide roadshow across all the department’s six regions. These issues included complaints from Correctional Services staff about overcrowding, prison gangs, staff resignations and shortages, along with a recent invasion of rats at Pollsmoor.
Modise said his address to staff was to speak about issues which had seen the department receive a qualified audit from the Auditor-General last year, and to discuss ways in which this could be improved.
He said the administration of the department’s contingent liabilities and the lack of performance information sent to the national office were two of the main reasons why it had received a qualified audit.
“Western Cape and, especially, Gauteng have done better than other regions. The staff we have in the two provinces are much better qualified to do the work. The (performance) reports we got were of a high standard,” said Modise.
The department would go back to having nine regions to be in line with the provinces, instead of the current six combined regions where it was experiencing management problems.
“What is important with the Western Cape is that they do have a lot of experienced staff, and that experience is what we need in the other regions so that we can then provide quality (performance) information and (ensure) our records management is up to standard,” said Modise.
He acknowledged that gangsterism was a reality of the prison system and it could not be eradicated entirely, it had to be managed.
“What happens in the prison system is that there are sporadic fights among gang members, and attacks on staff. That’s what we’re fighting.
“The security of our facilities will always be our responsibility,” said Modise.
He said the Department of Correctional Services had developed a strategy to better deal with violent prison gangs, to manage and identify their leadership.
“We also want to make sure that our officials are on par with the communication mediums they utilise. They use a language that only they understand. Once you have that it will be easy for you to deal with those matters (of gang violence),” said Modise.
@mtyala
Cape Times
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