Prison man 'hounded' by bosses

2004-05-06 15:53

Pretoria - The senior correctional services employee who refused to appear before the Jali commission of inquiry on irregularities within the service told Sapa on Thursday he was being "hounded by top management".

"I am fed up with it. What am I meant to do, commit suicide?"

Winson Naidoo hit the headlines this week when he allegedly refused to appear before the Jali commission unless he was paid a "large sum of money" and was organised a transfer or package from Pretoria Central Prison where he worked.

"I asked for a transfer or package but I never asked for money," said Naidoo, who told Sapa he had been booked off from work because of the extreme stress he was under.

On Wednesday, commission investigator Bright Shabalala said Naidoo's failure to appear had weakened the investigation into overtime time abuse within correctional services.

"He was to testify about individuals not policy issues," Shabalala said.

The court heard on Tuesday that correctional services had spent R1.4bn over two financial years on weekend overtime because of non-adherence to policy.

Transfer or package needed

"I helped Shabalala get the information but right at the start I said I would need a transfer or a package from the service. I knew there was no way of staying at my job after I testified," he said.

Naidoo explained that because he had not been given what he has asked for he felt he could not testify.

"I asked them in July to accommodate me but they did not respond," he said.

Naidoo said, however, that no steps had been taken against him by the commission for not testifying.

The commission has the option of fining Naidoo R300 or sending him to jail for three months for ignoring a subpoena to appear.

"I think the fact that they have not done so means they see my point," he said.

- SAPA