illegal activities in Department of Correctional Services (DCS) premises
10 January 2007
The Department of Correctional Services support the South African Police
Service (SAPS) Anti-Crime and Anti-Corruption operation that led to the arrest
of a DCS official in Pollsmoor today, for suspicions of dealing in stolen car
parts and also conducting illegal business on Government premises.
The DCS official was employed as a clerk at the Medium A Correctional Centre
in Pollsmoor and was expected to appear at the Wynburg Magistrate�s Court
today. He was arrested with another suspect who is not a DCS employee but was
illegally staying with him at the departmental residence in Pollsmoor.
The second suspect is an ex-offender who has previous criminal convictions.
The arrested official was subletting his departmental residential unit to the
second suspect.
The Minister of Correctional Services Mr Ngconde Balfour, MP, welcomed the
SAPS operation saying �the SAPS jointly with the Departmental Anti-corruption
Unit would soon get rid of corrupt elements within DCS.� Minister Balfour
further announced that the security vetting of all staff by the National
Intelligence Agency (NIA) in correctional centres will be speeded up. He also
said that the Department�s residential policy that benefited DCS employees will
soon be overhauled so that staff reside in DCS residences strictly for a period
of three years after which they will have to find permanent personal
accommodation.
He also announced an audit that seeks to identify staff that qualify for
internal residential accommodation and also determine those that are illegally
occupying these residences. This will assist in rooting out those who conduct
illegal business or profitable activities on DCS premises and also expose those
that are subletting DCS residences to external tenants.
The Minister said this drastic action is aimed at exposing those who conduct
such illegal activities so that they could be dealt with harshly including
immediate termination of services after the disciplinary processes.
For more information, contact:
Luphumzo Kebeni
Ministerial Liaison Officer
Cell: 082 453 2244
Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
10 January 2007
