The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) had filed court papers to contest the Department of Correctional Services' new housing policy, the organisation said yesterday.
"The application has been made... the affidavit was filed by our lawyers two weeks ago but no correspondence has been received on whether or not the department will oppose this," said Popcru spokesman Victor Dladla.
Correctional Services Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has in the past voiced concern over accommodation for warders, especially as there had been no policy in place.
Yesterday she expressed shock at the union's intention, as the drafting of the policy followed years of successive warnings by the Treasury regarding the issue of "double-dipping" by some officials.
"While receiving housing allowances as part of their salary packages, they (some officials) were also incorrectly benefiting from state accommodation located on the terrain of our correctional facilities at cost to the state," she said.
The new policy will ensure that officials who need to live on the department property in line with security considerations will continue to do so. Those who do not need to live on site will no longer be allowed to do so.
The policy is a result of recommendations by the auditor-general following a probe into the abuse of state accommodation by officials. - Sapa