Programme Director and Government Spokesperson, Mr Jimmy Manyi
National Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr. Tom Moyane
Esteemed members of the media, present here
Friends and colleagues
In October 2003, the Department of Correctional Services appointed a transaction advisory team to conduct a feasibility study on the possible procurement of four new correctional centres by government in partnership with the private sector.
In June 2007, the feasibility study was approved by the department and National Treasury, in particular its Public Private Partnership Unit, as required by National Treasury Regulation 16.
Tender H16/2003 was subsequently issued by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) for 3 000 additional bed spaces at the Paarl, East London, Nigel and Klerksdorp correctional centres.
Requests for Qualifications on the above tender were issued in October 2007 and four bidders were shortlisted on 30 September 2008, with requests for proposal documents issued to bidders on 1 December 2008.
Bid submissions were done on the 28th and 29th of May 2009. The bid submissions have not been opened or evaluated as yet.
Since May 2009, there has been a fundamental Policy and Operational review resulting in a major strategic shift and change in objectives within the Department of Correctional Services.
These changes and the desire to achieve the objectives of the above have raised a question as to whether or not the proposed Public Private Partnership model (as envisaged in the Tender) could deliver the required services and expected outcomes, without undermining a fundamental state responsibility of managing and providing public security.
The policy and strategic shift brought the following to the fore:
3.1 Bid specifications have to be amended to exclude the provision of security and custodial services by third parties, which are deemed to be the core responsibility of DCS.
3.2 Bid specifications have to be amended to cater for specific facilities for women and vulnerable groups such as the mentally ill or elderly as opposed to centres catering solely for (maximum sentenced) male offenders.
3.3 Bid specifications have to be amended to cater for different sizes of inmate populations, whilst the current bids specifies 3 000 beds per facility.
It became evident that the specifications contained in the original tenders could not accommodate the requirements identified by the review.
As a result, a decision was taken to cancel the procurement of a further four correctional centres through the proposed PPP procurement process.
Appointment of a New Inspecting Judge of Correctional Centres
I now wish to turn my attention to the office of the Inspecting Judge of Correctional Centres.
Section 85 of the Correctional Services Act, 1998, establishes the Judicial Inspectorate for the Department of Correctional Services as an independent office under the control of an Inspecting Judge.
The fundamental purpose and objective of the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services is to facilitate the inspection of correctional centres in order that the Inspecting Judge may report on the treatment of inmates in correctional centres and indeed on conditions in correctional centres.
The Act provides that the President of the Republic must appoint the Inspecting Judge.
On 31 October 2011, the three year term of office of the Honourable Judge Deon Van Zyl will come to an end.
I, as Minister of Correctional Services and on behalf of the Department, would like to take this opportunity to thank Judge Van Zyl for his contribution over the past three years and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.
The President has appointed the Honourable Judge Vuka Tshabalala (retired Judge President for KwaZulu-Natal) as the Inspecting Judge from 1 November 2011, for a period of three years.
I welcome the appointment of Judge Tshabalala to this important oversight mechanism and believe that he will fulfil his statutory mandate in a manner that will safeguard and protect the rights of inmates within our correctional facilities.
Programme Director, allow me to congratulate Judge Tshabalala and to wish him all the best in his new position.
As the Executive Authority in the Department of Correctional Services and also on behalf of Correctional Services National Commissioner as the Accounting Officer in the department, we pledge to support his Office and the Inspectorate.
I thank you.
