SCOPA appalled at Correctional Services financial accountability
The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) has requested the Department of Correctional Services to appear before it (for the third time this year) next week to account for the 2013/14 annual report.
The Committee is not satisfied with the responses it has received from the department and hopes the department will have more accurate answers next week. The Committee wants to be thorough in assisting the Department of Correctional Services in dealing with the challenges it (the department) is facing.
The Committee will also request the Department of Public Works and the Independent Development Trust (IDT) to appear before Scopa next week to account on the infrastructure expenditure of the Department of Correctional Services which has not progressed to completion. The Committee has noted that the Department of Public Works awarded a contract to a service provider with no financial capacity for Tzaneen and C-Max correctional centres which have not been completed up to this day. The Committee will also ask Public Works and IDT to account on the R4 billion contract out of a R10 billion incarceration budget that was awarded to only one service provider.
Scopa remains dissatisfied with the management of the Human Resources and Information Technology departments in the department. From the responses the Committee has received so far, it is clear that there had been a collapse of general management in the Department of Correctional Services.
The Committee acknowledges the appointment of the new Commissioner in the department and hopes that having a permanent accounting officer will bring some level of stability in the department.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Faith Kwaza
Tel: 021 403 8062
Cell:081 377 0686
E-mail: fkwaza@parliament.gov.za
