CURRENT STATUS OF ACCOMMODATION AS OF SUNDAY 29 OCTOBER 2006

1. CURRENT STATUS OF ACCOMMODATION AS OF SUNDAY 29 OCTOBER 2006 Approved Accommodation: 12 959 Sentenced Males: 13 423 Unsentenced Males: 4 680 Sentenced Females: 313 Unsentenced Females: 73 Total Occupation: 18489 Total Overcrowding: 42.7%

2. OVERCROWDING • The current status indicates that the Region is 42.7% overcrowded. Though this is below the national norm of 75% we still implemented strategies to reduce overcrowding. These are the strategies that have been implemented Pro-active strategies: • Vigorous marketing of alternative sentence options e.g.Sec 276(1) (i) &(h) • Encouraging the use of Sec 62(f) for ATD • Motivating relatives to pay fines imposed by courts • Marketing utilization of Sec 276(1)(i) Re-active: • Co-ordinating the management of overcrowding through National overcrowding task team, Regional and Management .Area Overcrowding Task Team • Equal distribution of inmates where possible & Optimal utilization of accommodation space • Establishment of Integrated Justice Centres in East London, Port Elizabeth, K.W.T, Mthatha & Queenstown • Conversion of sentences in deserving cases & Timeous placement on parole as per policy

3. GANGSTERISM • At the outset we need to inform the Committee that gangsterism is not rife in the Eastern Cape Region, however pockets of gang related incidents prompted Management to engage in a two pronged approach in dealing with gangsterism namely, pro-active and re- active strategy. PRO-ACTIVE: • Separation of gang leaders • Effective management of complaints and requests • Provision of recreational facilities • Increase visibility of management in the Region particular inside the Holding Units • Ensuring regular unannounced nocturnal visits • Continuous surprise searching to remove knifes and sharpened objects • Motivation of inmates to come forward with information regarding planned activities RE-ACTIVE: Immediate separation of those alleged to have been involved. All criminal activities handed over to SAPS for investigation as well as conducting internal investigation. Forfeiting of privileges/privilege group if found to be involved Engaging offender development staff to conduct programs such as Anger Management etc.

4. MANAGEMENT PLAN: OVERCROWDING

5. MANAGEMENT PLAN: OVERCROWDING

6. MANAGEMENT PLAN: OVERCROWDING

7. COMMUNICATION • Comm. strategy is informed by Govt. & DCS priorities and POA for 2006/7 • DCS positioning of comm. enhances its ability to meet public info & dept. comm. needs (Dept. Strat. objective) • DCS needs to communicate clear approaches and directions with regards to the implementation of its new approach. • Transformation of the Dept and the new policies call for intense mobilization of internal and external support • The is a greater need of enhancing internal capacity for advocacy, mobilization and developmental communications

8. OBJECTIVE • Positioning of DCS especially among internal publics as having a clear program for creating the requisite capacity and jobs. • To intensify unmediated communication within the DCS, promoting transparency, engagement, and cooperation. • To inculcate the principles of the White paper amongst the members and the offenders for practicing the new approach to corrections. • To inform, educate and entertain DCS officials with an aim of enhancing service delivery within DCS in particular and civil service in general. • To utilize internal communication as means of improving the organizational culture pillared by adherence and practice of batho pele • To increase public awareness about the critical role of the DCS within CJS.

9. ENVIRONMENT • The Regional Commissioner’s visibility & accessibility to members, offenders & and our stakeholders promotes good relations and provides clear strategic direction for the region • The process of reengineering the region for optimization of resources, i.e. declassification of Middledrift & rezoning of Management Area has made members anxious and thus a need to allay people’s fears has been identified • Objectives of reclassification of the Middledrift and the regional overcrowding strategy are still not well understood thus a need for heightened communication by senior manager on these issues. Public Mood • Recruitment & salary increment approaches employed by Dept are not well received by members as they are perceived to be prejudicing against many, especially when compared to approaches used before 1994. • The Regional Commissioner openly acknowledges the efforts of the members thereby boosting their morale. • Perceptions of rife corruption and maladministration in the department are consistent. • Overcrowding of the correctional centres remains an inhibiting factor for service delivery

10. ENVIRONMENT cont Media Agenda • The region has been experiencing positive media support especially with regional based media houses. • The regional media’s interest on how the dept works opens opportunities for marketing DCS & its programs & assist with stakeholder mobilization • Unreliable info fed to the media by offenders & disgruntled members has heightened media confidence in the Regional Management as they always get factual info which often dispels the myths they were fed. • Nationally the media is riding negatively on the findings of the Jali Commission • In Aug-Sept reports on the portfolio committee visit in the region also brought a lot of negative publicity & achievements of the region were somewhat overshadowed. • The negative coverage experienced by the region in the month of August 2006, as well as general negative reports in Oct post the release of the Jali report threaten the confidence of members in our leadership and also threaten the confidence of the public in the ability of the department to deliver on its mandate.

11. CHALLENGES • Promotion of participation of various stakeholders as partners in corrections. • Means of integrating support from stakeholders to enhance delivery into ops plans of key directorates • Popularizing the implementation of DCS POA 2006-07 incl. • Re-engineering of the region & overcrowding management strategy • Profiling the new approach to management of ATDs • DCS contributions to the implementation of ASGISA • EPWP roll out with DPW, 7-day establishment, expansion of 3 meal system, progress in recruitment targets, rehabilitation and corrections programs, HIV & AIDS interventions • And monitoring operational implementation of the principles of the white paper • Intensification of internal communication to reach offenders & members • Strengthening of un-mediated communication and partnership with local government to drive crime prevention and corrections programs • Implementing public education on Corrections & CJS to promote understanding

12. MAJOR EVENTS AND PROJECTS • Internal Imbizo Campaigns to be run quarterly (since July 2006) • Improvement of internal communication • Corrections week & other campaigns driven with social partners • DCS Excellence Awards & President’s Awards • Imbizo focus weeks (6-13 April & October) • 16 Days of Activism on No Violence Against Women and Children. • Promotion of public accountability through media engagement • Mobilisation of internal & external stakeholders through commemorating institutionalized days i.e. 50th Women’s march, 30th Soweto uprisings, • Holding open day sessions to various stakeholders e.g. member, schools, media, community etc

13. MESSENGERS • Primary: RC, DRC • Secondary: Regional Management & Area Commissioners, Heads of CC’s • Others include : Union leadership and other opinion makers within CS • Communicators in areas & CS • Correctional Officials CHANNELS, TYPES OF EVENTS Internal • Staff meetings and internal izimbizo • Corporate publications: newsletters, brochures, annual reports etc.; • Electronic communication incl. email, internet, audio, video conferencing, telephone voice messages; • Fliers, posters, banners, leaflets; • Stage plays (commissioned in each province – featuring offenders); • Cultural groups, arts work and music • SMS news flash services for all employees; • Exhibitions; and • Corporate and service delivery videos and audio clips (streamed for loading on the intranet)

14. CHANNELS/ EVENTS TO BE USED FOR IMPROVING COMMUNICATION The following are to be pursued on an ongoing basis: • Quarterly Stakeholder briefings • Project Launches in line with the government calendar • Stage plays to simplify the new approach to corrections • Sport, Arts and Craft competitions for inmates & members • Policy speech and legislative activities including NCOP, sittings, oversight reports, annual report presentations etc. • Regional SMS training on media handling • Corporate video productions, launch and distribution

15. INTERVENTION FOR ENHANCING COMMUNICATIONS • Inclusion of communication as DCS priority for its PMDS for all managers • Inclusion of Comm. targets in compliance checklist for all centres • Support of communication training of Communicators, Heads of CC (CoE), ACs, • Need to get full time personnel for positions of communications in areas, and centers. • Provide resources to communicators for functioning • Participation of communication official in regional, area and center level management platforms • Communicators need to be capacitated on internal communications and developmental communications development. • Office automation and enabling resources such as computers, access to e-mails, color printers, faxes, video cameras, cell phones, access to internet etc. • Communicators to be capacitated on all programs and policies of the department

16. COMM PLANS

17. COMM PLAN CONT…

18. CONCLUSION • The Regional Commissioner and her management team wish to express their sincere thanks to the Honorable Members of Parliament and acknowledge the oversight role of the Portfolio Committee, seeking to ensure that the Department execute it’s mandate, thereby contributing to building a Country and Correctional system that belongs to all and is admired by others. • We recommit ourselves to constantly explore strategies to effectively, efficiently and timeously deal with challenges facing the Region and therefore appreciates comments received at this forum.