Department Of Correctional Services Human Resources
Department Of Correctional Services Human Resources, The Department of Correctional Services, in the hierarchy of the Civil Servants employed by National Government is considered to be part and parcel of the ‘so-called security cluster’ of departments.
The macabre Human Resources policy within the Department of Correctional Services.
The Department of Correctional Services, in the hierarchy of the Civil Servants employed by National Government is considered to be part and parcel of the ‘so called security cluster’ of departments.
In its mandate it is responsible to execute the duties of safekeeping of more than 180 000 offenders, that have either been sentenced to direct imprisonment and or awaiting trial detainees that still need to be sentenced.
The environment under which its employees have to function at optimum levels of efficiency and effectiveness seriously challenged in that the conditions of their working environment not being conducive as they have to live with major overcrowding, gangsters, bottled up emotions, grievances and hate not only amongst offenders but some of it also amongst themselves.
To perform normal under these most abnormal circumstances requires motivation, dedication and loyalty to the cause, but then all of these efforts to sustain optimum security levels in no way being recognized and or appreciated by their employer.
Vacancies within the Department are never utilized to recognize commitment, dedication and or loyalty to the cause, and used as ‘promotional tools’. Instead vacancies are advertised in the open market, and current employees are then to challenge their ability to qualify for the position with applicants from the open market.
Unfortunately and this has been proved to date, the advertising of the positions, is used as a ‘smokescreen’ to employ already identified individuals for the positions, irrespective of them not having the necessary experience, qualifications to be able to actually do the job that is advertised, but then the filling of the positions ‘used’ to address personal agendas and liabilities to those that are employed by the one that would appoint them.
The extent of this macabre most unorthodox methodology very much evidentiary within the ambit of the Johannesburg Management Area, where a Head of the Centre was employed, couldn’t actually do the work that was expected of the incumbent, and then conveniently deployed to the Johannesburg CHQ to now be the Director Corporate from which position manipulation of the employment policy can now be more ‘personally driven’
A Head of Centre, where in his previous deployment in such position, had 2 escapes during his tenure at the said centre, was then transferred to Johannesburg where 2 more escapes occurred and now conveniently deployed into a position that can be exploited and manipulated for personal gain and or agenda to satisfy liabilities that may exist.
Amazingly at the time of his transfer to Johannesburg, he was accompanied by his Personal Assistant, despite the fact that the position in the Johannesburg Management Area already had an incumbent in that position, then resulting in him having two personal assistants the consequences of which is self-explanatory.
What makes the situation even more macabre is the fact that the Personal Assistant that followed him from his previous place of deployment, has now been nominated for a award for special service, all at the hand of the one that she worked for.
Any employer should have a promotional policy in place which would then serve as a motivational tool for present employees to perform at their optimum best, knowing that their scope of employment, future within the Department, will advance them on their career path, but without such policy employees within the Department of Correctional Services now find themselves stuck and stagnant in the same position, many for as long as 14 years, where they actually should have been long overdue promoted, as they have attained the required experience, skills and knowledge that is required of the more senior position than the one that they currently occupy yet have been deprived of, in that the position was ‘given’ to a man-hunted individual that needed to get the work, to satisfy some kind of personal agenda, and in the process, demotivating each and everyone so affected, yet expecting of them to still perform despite being deprived equality in their workplace.