PSA condemns suspension of wardens at St Albans Prison

The Public Servants Association (PSA), representing thousands of Department of Correctional Services (DCS) employees, has strongly condemned the suspension of 122 of its members stationed at the St Albans Maximum Centre in the Eastern Cape on charges of attending an illegal gathering.

Growing concern about the safety of DCS employees at the Centre, where a recent spate of violent attacks by inmates left several employees seriously injured, resulted in the PSA calling a members' meeting at the Centre.

"DCS management granted approval for the PSA meeting and DCS management was requested to address the meeting. When they failed to comply with the request, the members approached the management area in an orderly manner to again request management's attendance. When management failed to address them, the members dispersed and returned to their workplaces where they were confronted and suspended," said PSA Deputy General Manager, Manie de Clercq.  

A total of 122 PSA members have since received notices to attend a disciplinary hearing from 18 to 22 March 2013 where they will be assisted by the PSA.The PSA ascribes the current dismal safety situation to the implementation in 2009 by the DCS of various shift models in an effort to save costs on overtime payments. "No collective agreement permits the averaging of working hours. Despite this, the DCS implemented shift systems contrary to the Basic Conditions Employment Act. This resulted in severe under staffing and in 2012 the DCS further cut the already-pressured establishment by more than 10%,"said De Clercq.

The PSA has continuously raised the issue of the safety of DCS employees with the National Commissioner. The PSA National Branch for the DCS also addressed this with the Portfolio Committee of DCS in Parliament before the DCS admitted that 18 000 new employees will have to be appointed to adequately address the situation. The PSA also recently addressed the Ministerial Consultative Forum in this regard and a meeting was held with the Regional Commissioner where labour was requested to formulate solutions to the problem.

"There is no quick solution to this problem which is rooted in a severe staff shortage. In the face of this, the ill-considered decision by the DCS to suspend 122 employees, who were acting within their rights, is set to impact on a highly-volatile situation with implications for the safety of employees, inmates and even the public at large," said De Clercq.

Statement issued by Manie de Clercq, Public Servants Assocation, March 13 2013

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter