Department Of Correctional Services S.A

Department Of Correctional Services S.A

The Department of Justice and Correctional Services is the justice ministry of the South African government. The department provides administrative and financial support to the court system and the judiciary (which are constitutionally independent of the executive), oversees the National Prosecuting Authority, provides legal advice and representation to organs of state, facilitates law reform and is responsible for the country’s Correctional Services.



Prior to May 2014, Correctional Services was a separate department and the justice department was named the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
The political head of the department is the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, who is supported by two deputy ministers. In the 2012/13 financial year the Department of Justice had 23,780 employees and the Department of Correctional Services had 40,165.

The correctional division of the department has about 34,000 staff and is responsible for the administration of 240 prisons, which accommodates about 189,748 inmates. The prisons include minimum, medium, and maximum security facilities. The political head of the department is the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, currently Michael Masutha.

CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATES



The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act No. 108 of 1996) lays the basis for the mandate of the Department of Correctional Services. The Constitution compels the Department to comply with the following sections in terms of the treatment of offenders:

Mission

Providing the best Correctional Services for a safer South Africa

Vision

Contributing to a just, peaceful and safer South Africa through effective and humane incarceration of inmates, rehabilitation and social reintegration of offenders

Values:
Development
  • Enablement and empowerment
  • Faith in the potential of people
  • Providing opportunities and facilities for growth
Integrity
  • Honesty
  • Disassociating yourself from all forms of corruption and unethical conduct
  • Sound business practices
Ubuntu
  • Serving with Kindness and humanity
Effectiveness
  • Productivity
  • The best work methods, procedure and system to achieve set goals
  • Excellent services
Accountability
  • Desire to perform well
  • Accepting accountability for your behaviour
  • Commitment
Justice
  • Fair treatment
  • Justice for all
  • Fairness and equality before the law
Security
  • Safety of employees, offenders and the community
Equity
  • Non-discrimination
  • Affirmative Action
  • Gender equality
  • Integration of disability issues