Correctional services is strengthening its ”onslaught” against fraud, corruption and unethical behaviour by publicly naming those found guilty and dismissed since the institution of various interventions.
Briefing the media at Parliament on Monday, Minister of Correctional Services Ngconde Balfour released the first list of correctional officials (COs) dismissed after being found guilty of various charges pursued by the internal investigation unit.
The most senior on the list of 13 was former Eastern Cape regional commissioner RE Mataka, found guilty of fraud.
Three senior COs were also dismissed — EA van Zyl (Polokwane — procurement irregularities), SP Ndlovu (Durban-Westville — receiving money from an inmate), and G Barkhuizen (Zonderwater — procurement irregularities).
Other officials were SR Dlamini (Pretoria), LM Mpete (Leeukop), V Masete Dortrecht), A Zwane (Durban), MI Msibi (Pretoria), H Makubela (Pretoria), P Tlhokwe (Johannesburg), M Dlomo (Durban) and A Sims (Johannesburg).
A further 18 officials were dismissed, but their appeals were still pending and 52 cases were still under investigation, Balfour said.
In respect of cases emanating from the Jali Commission report, 48 investigations were instituted, seven of which were still ongoing.
A total of 109 officials, including seven senior management, were implicated so far.
The internal disciplinary hearings into the Medcor [medical aid] fraud directly implicated 96 officials, excluding those who died or resigned.
Two had been dismissed and the remainder had appeals pending. All 96 had also been criminally charged and would appear in court in groups of eight from November 6 this year to May 21 next year. Two had already been found guilty in court, he said. — Sapa