DCS again failing to have contingency plan in place is shocking

It is shocking in the extreme that the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) once again failed to take the necessary steps to ensure continuity in the running of South-Africa's prisons.

Media reports indicating that the department had no contingency plans to train its own personnel to operate 72 control rooms following the expiry of Sondolo IT‘s contract with the DCS, exposes the rank mismanagement of the department.  

Apart from the fact that this predicament has consequences for public safety, it follows a similar pattern as the department's dealings with Bosasa.

The failure to have contingency plans in place to deal with the lapsing of the Sondolo IT surveillance contract may very well be deliberate.  One is reminded in this context of the fact that the catering contract awarded to Bosasa was extended because no provisions had been made to put the contract out on tender, leading to its renewal administratively.  

We trust that this situation was not engineered with the sole purpose of administratively renewing the Sondolo IT contract in the same way as Bosasa's.

This matter requires the urgent attention of the portfolio committee on correctional services when it is appointed.

Statement issued by James Selfe, MP, Democratic Alliance spokesperson on correctional services, May 3 2009

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