Sixthly, we need to set individual performance contracts for each head of centre covering not only adherence to the Correctional Services Act, but much more importantly, setting targets for participation in rehabilitative programmes and incentivising innovation, cost-saving and excellence.

Seventhly, the budget of the Department of Correctional Services must be realigned to provide more resources for community corrections. This will increase the success of rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders released from prison. Central to the success of this would be the roll-out of electronic tracking devices that the Chairperson referred to.

More than anything, what is required is a real partnership between the department and the many community-based organisations, faith-based organisations and NGOs that provide rehabilitative programmes and without which the department cannot really fulfil its mandate.

Finally, the Department of Correctional Services must develop and implement an integrated and effective information tracking system that tracks offenders. It should contain, at a minimum, his or her photograph, fingerprints, current and previous offences, sentence plan and participation in work and rehabilitative programmes.

At the moment, it appears that no one in the department knows exactly who the clients of their department are, where they are, what they are doing and how soon they are going to be released.

The department faces a real challenge. We do not doubt for one moment the dedication and commitment of thousands of the Department of Correctional Services officials, but unless they are given the support, management and resources to do their job, they cannot succeed. If they fail, we will never win the war against crime. Thank you. [Applause.]

HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!