Correctional Services National Commissioner (NC), Makgothi Thobakgale has encouraged Heads of Correctional Centres (HCCs) to be hands-on in the daily functioning of the centres. He said this during his operational visit at Polokwane Correctional Centre on Saturday, 19 October 2024.
The business of the day kicked-off with Area Commissioner of Polokwane Management Area, Lydia Mamabolo presenting an overview of the Management Area, wherein she highlighted the positive impact of the partnership with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Department of Home Affairs in the tracing of active absconders.
Engaging the HCCs on centre level operations, NC Thobakgale encouraged them to know their centres like the back of their hands. He further prompted Unit Managers to work closely with HCC’s and to notify them when they detect trends of certain contrabands being smuggled into the centres. “During your monthly meetings, you must have a caucus on how to curb the trend, because we need our centres to be contraband free, as they pose a security risk in the centres,” he said.
He also emphasized that HCCs have a duty to sensitize and remind officials about familiarizing themselves with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and policies of the department.
“Officials must get their act in order, starting from the control gate, up until to the unit. The issue of cleanliness in the centres and officials’ residences has also been raised several times, and it is therefore important for HCCs to ensure that the environment is well maintained,” reiterated NC Thobakgale.
The National commissioner visited Unit A and hospital Units where he urged officials to take complaints and requests from offenders with the seriousness they deserve. He concluded by saying that complaints and requests must be immediately attended to, and that there must be a concerted endeavour by all role players to resolve challenges raised by offenders.
In his closing remarks, acting Regional Commissioner of Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West region, Nhlelela Sono thanked the National Commissioner for visiting Polokwane Correctional Centre, and gave an undertaking that all concerns raised will be addressed.
“We will go back to the drawing board to iron out those issues you have pointed out. As a Region, we always converge on monthly basis to have robust discussions on how to mitigate existing challenges. I also promise that the information you shared with us today will be conveyed to all management areas in the region,” he assured the NC.
The National Commissioner was accompanied by the acting Chief Security Officer, Dr Pascal Jordaan.