Fraud and corruption in prisons are on the decline, a senior official said on Wednesday.
”Although the road ahead remains arduous and long, I can confidently say we are winning this battle,” said acting National Commissioner of Correctional Services Patrick Gillingham on Wednesday.
He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the department’s ethics management and anti-corruption training programme in Pretoria.
The building of a secure and ethical correctional system is firmly on course, with an ”overwhelming” majority of the managers and officials being at the forefront.
”This programme marks an important milestone in our efforts to build a secure and ethical correctional system in South Africa.”
Since Minister of Correctional Services Ngconde Balfour’s commitment to cleanse the system of ”bad apples”, and the institution of the Jali Commission to investigate fraud and corruption in prisons, Gillingham said there has been a ”significant” improvement.
There has been greater awareness, more reporting, convictions, dismissals and recoveries of public resources and funds.
The anti-corruption strategy rolled out included a hotline that registered a 33% increase in cases reported between 2004 and 2005.
”Through internal processes during the same period, 36 hearings were concluded, with 20 officials dismissed, 14 receiving final written warnings and two being found not guilty.
”Incidents of escapes went down by 90,3% while incidents of offender-on-offender violence in prisons decreased by 87% over the past ten years nationally.”
He also cited the implementation of new information and communication technologies, which saw more cases being picked up for investigation and disciplinary processes made quicker, as another tool the department was using to fight corruption.
He said without public confidence, ensuring safe custody in an environment where offenders could be rehabilitated will be almost impossible.
”Public confidence will only be achieved if our managers and officials behave ethically in relation to offenders, other officials, service providers and the public,” he said.
With official launch of the programme on Wednesday, the system hopes to build a competent and ethical cadre of officials.
Gillingham said a survey conducted by Ernst and Young in 2003 revealed that 85% of fraud was committed by insiders. Managers accounted for 55% and workers for 30%.
”We are also conscious of the estimates that about 90% of cases of fraud go unreported”.
The ethical foundations that led to people committing fraud need to be addressed, he said. — Sapa