The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) Senior Management convened for the 2023/24 fourth quarter National Management Performance Review Session on Friday, 24 May 2024.
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) Senior Management convened for the 2023/24 fourth quarter and annual National Management Performance Review Session on Friday, 24 May 2024.
The virtual session afforded all the regions and branches a platform to table their presentations highlighting areas of underachievement as well as areas on which they met the performance standards as per set targets. Additionally, the re-view session allowed Management to evaluate progress for the financial year and offer input on areas that require improvement in 2024/25. By instituting quarterly performance review sessions, DCS ensures that officials are carrying out their responsibilities and contributing positively to the department’s overall outcomes.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Strategic Management, Anbigay Naicker, kicked-off the virtual session by providing a broad outline of performance during the financial year covering a number of factors encompassing targets achieved, not achieved, Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) performance, performance per programme, analysis of root causes, to mention a few.
The Department achieved 35 out of 41 annual targets for the 2023/24 financial year, which translates to 85% performance. DCS annual performance dropped by only 2% com-pared to the 2022/23 financial year. Three Programmes: Care, Rehabilitation and Social Reintegration achieved 100% of their annual targets. These programmes have achieved this commendable feat for three years in succession. Incarceration achieved 86%, with Administration trailing further behind with 50% performance achievement.
The regional outlook of the annual performance saw the Western Cape emerging as the best performing region with a phenomenal 97% achievement, followed by KwaZulu-Natal and Free State and Northern Cape with 94% each. The Eastern Cape (93%), Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West (90%) and Gauteng (81%) also performed exceptionally well.
As part of his presentation of the Financial Report, acting Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Lebogang Marumule indicated that one prevalent factor that caused some regions and branches to fall short of their goals is the inadequate funding due to cost-containment measures. “We should come up with mechanisms to reach targets without major financial implications even as we continue to implement cost containment measures,” stated acting CFO Marumule.
In an attempt to close the margin at SMS level in so far as gender representation is concerned, the acting Chief Deputy Commissioner, Human Resources, Linda Bond mentioned that the Department must recruit and appoint more female managers to comply with Employment Equity (EE) targets. The Department recorded a performance of 47% (70/150) females and 53% (80/150) males against a target of 50% at the end of the 2023/24 financial year.
“Greater effort is required to ensure the appointment and promotion of females into SMS level,” said acting CDC Bond. Some of the key targets that most regions did not achieve on include:
• Overcrowding in correctional facilities;
• Infrastructure projects completed;
• Unnatural deaths in correctional facilities;
• Grade 12 pass rate per academic year; and
• Offenders, parolees, and probationers participating in the Restorative Justice Programme
In the absence of National Commissioner (NC), Makgothi Thobakgale, Chief Deputy Commissioner (CDC) for Community Corrections, Phiko Mbambo facilitated the session. He applauded the regions and branches on their excellent work and encouraged managers to go back to the drawing board to address areas that require improvement.