DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
MEDIA STATEMENT
To the editor
For immediate use
15 April 2011
COMMISSIONER MOYANE JUSTIFIES R71m INVESTMENT ON 1014 LEARNERS
Correctional Services National Commissioner Tom Moyane has undertaken to ensure
that all 1014 learners currently undergoing training in two Correctional Services Colleges
are security cleared (vetted) to ensure that any new recruits are beyond reproach as a
prerequisite to working with inmates. Addressing learners and stakeholders at the
Kroonstad College of the Department, Commissioner Moyane said the task of managing
and rehabilitating offenders is a complex one that requires upright officials that cannot be
compromised by offenders.
Sounding a warning to the young trainees who are expected to be deployed in
Correctional Centres across the country by the end of this month, Commissioner
Moyane said borrowing money, sharing a smoke, asking for favours and engaging in
sexual relations with inmates is a dismissable offence in Correctional Services. He said
the principles governing the conduct of officials are non-negotiables and breaking them
could result in disgraceful dismissal that would shame families and communities from
where the trainee comes from. He said: “your supreme responsibility is to make South
Africa safe”.
National Commissioner Moyane said he is confident that the department’s investment of
R71 million to recruit and train over 1000 learners in correctional services is a worthy
cause that contributes in delivering on the directive of the President to create jobs and
fight unemployment in South Africa. Of the 1014 learners 53% (537) are males and 47%
(479) are females also equitably representing the racial demographics of the South
African population including eight recruits with disabilities. The R71 million investment
goes to the provision of R3 500 stipend to each learner for the 12 month programme that
total R43 million, while the rest goes to their general upkeep, training materials and other
basic consumables.
The trainees constitute the first group of learners to undergo the newly approved
curriculum towards the 12 month Further Education and Training Certificate in
Correctional Services. The group started in January 2011 and will complete their three
month theoretical phase of the course by the 21 April before their deployment across the
country for their experiential learning under mentorship by Correctional Officials.
Commissioner Moyane said the learners would stand a greater chance of being
recruited as fulltime correctional officials only if they pass their 12 month training
programme that is accredited by SASSETA. He thanked the learners for choosing
corrections as their career of choice, indicating that efforts are advanced to
professionalise corrections and establish corrections academies to develop ideal
correctional officials. He said days of correctional services being “the last buffer
between decent lives and poverty” are numbered as the Department is building
corrections as a “profession of choice” for current and “future generations”.
He urged the learners to use their fresh and innovative ideas to help the Department to
deliver on the priorities assigned by the Minister of Correctional Services which among
others include:

“Intensifying rehabilitation of offenders … (through) …, among others, provision
of education and training to young offenders that constitute more than two-thirds
of the offender population…..;

Improving public understanding, perceptions and participation of families and
communities in delivery of correctional services with partnerships strengthened to
deliver, among others, effective half way-houses particularly for those with no
family and community support for their placement on parole;

Intensifying innovative interventions to reduce levels of overcrowding beyond the
4.7% achieved over the past 12 months (through) conversion of old military
properties and optimizing use of tagging technology to enable placement of more
inmates and offenders that pose little danger to society under community
corrections.”
Commissioner Moyane announced that the Department will recruit and train more
learners to build a pool of skilled candidates from which to employ permanent
correctional officials to fill over 10% vacancies in Correctional Services. The ceremony
was attended by the Executive Mayor of Moqhaka Municipality Mrs. Mantebo Mokhosi,
executive managers of correctional services and representative of SASSETA.
Issued by Communications – Department of Correctional Services
Enquiries: Manelisi Wolela 0836260304