(MDP) to enhance performance of his department
23 October 2006
The Minister of Correctional Services, Ngconde Balfour, says much has been
done to improve the department's financial management and compliance systems in
the last five years.
Launching the MDP for correctional services middle and senior management at
the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) today, Minister Balfour said there
was however still room for improvement in terms of financial management and
ethics.
He said the introduction of the White Paper on Corrections has to a large
extent ensured the review and overhauling of a number of our policies and
procedures. Minister Balfour said however this review and introduction of new
policies and procedures is an ongoing and continuous process that has to be
consolidated by initiatives such as management training.
He also said the MDP was an effective way of closing the skills gaps that
impact negatively on the department's ability to implement its new strategic
direction. "The strengthening of the management capacity of the department is a
matter of critical importance that should always be high on our transformation
agenda," said Minister Balfour.
He said the training was part of the various interventions that were being
made to develop the skills of the department's managers in response to the
diverse leadership and management development challenges it faces. Minister
Balfour said, "Challenges faced by the department are very unique and therefore
demanded interventions that are uniquely tailor made and modelled for such a
unique environment."
A total of 225 officials of the department will be certified as competent by
TUT after completion of the course. The MDP which includes, amongst others,
modules such as legal and ethical issues preventing and managing unrest, riots
and disturbances as well as conflict and quality management, is part of the
training interventions introduced by the department in partnership with the
Department of Public Service and Administration as well as the South African
Management Development Institute (SAMDI) and the University of South Africa
(Unisa), to improve the department's management systems and processes.
Enquiries:
Luphumzo Kebeni
Tel: (021) 464 4614
Cell: 082 453 2244
Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
23 October 2006
