Deputy Minister Ramatlhodi says Correctional Services must borrow best practices from private sector to reduce long turn-around times in service delivery
The new Deputy Minister of Correctional Services, Advocate Ngoako Ramatlhodi says the department needs to learn from best practices in the private sector to change turnaround times in meeting service delivery targets.
Advocate Ramatlhodi joined a four day strategic planning session of the Executive Management of the department immediately after being sworn in as the new Deputy Minister of Correctional Services yesterday. Today the Executive Management Committee (EMC) gave a high level briefing on the Department of Correctional Services. Deputy Minister Ramatlhodi also raised concerns about outsourcing of catering services for inmates.
Addressing members of the EMC of the Department at Leeuwkop Correctional Centre in Johannesburg today, Advocate Ramatlhodi, expressed concerns about delays experienced in finalising a feasibility study on the nutrition programme of the Department of Correctional Services.
He encouraged higher levels of engagement of stakeholders of correctional services. The department has stakeholders from various sectors that include business, civil society and service providers. The department needs to have a clear strategy and lead in the establishment of forum that places departmental agenda on the fore.
“I am delighted to meet the Executive Management of the department and I am looking forward to make a contribution so that together we can ensure that this department is able to deliver on its mandate. We must recognise that problems exist because in some instances today’s successes can themselves generate new sets of problems we must address together,” said Deputy Minister Ramatlhodi.
He urged the department to address challenges of ill discipline highlighted by management and called for preservation of institutional memory while “changing those areas we do not agree with,” adding that “we need to balance between continuity and change.”He urged the Executive Management to join hands so that “together we can be seen as people who made a difference” in helping the Department deliver on its mandate.
The briefing was facilitated by National Commissioner Tom Moyane and was attended by the Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula of Correctional Services.The Executive Management Committee under the leadership of Commissioner Moyane is expected to finalise its mid-term strategic plan review session on Thursday. Some of the matters receiving attention are the performance targets outlined in the Minister’s delivery agreement signed with the Presidency, where individual Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Ministers made undertaking to take service delivery to higher and unprecedented levels.
Note a picture of the Deputy Minister Ngoako Ramathlodi is available on request: sms your e-mail address to 083 626 0304.
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