Balfour slams illegal strikers
2004-06-29 11:29
Cape Town - Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour on Tuesday harshly criticised an illegal strike by prisons staff, but praised others who prevented a mass escape.
Speaking during debate on his budget vote in the national council of provinces, he said correctional services members, ostensibly aligned to the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru), engaged in illegal strike action at Barberton and Nelspruit Correctional Centres.
Despite correctional services being an essential service under the Labour Relations Act, personnel engaged in "irresponsible and illegal actions" that could have put the safety of the public at risk, he said.
"At Barberton, this resulted in inmates not being provided with meals for more than 24 hours while at Nelspruit 800 awaiting trial detainees broke out of their cells by forcing doors after they realised that members were not on duty.
"It was only quick action by management and non-striking members that prevented a mass break-out at Nelspruit.
"While waiting for reinforcements from the South African Police Services and the SA National Defence Force, seven dedicated and loyal members at Nelspruit stood between inmates and possible escapes," Balfour said.
"Firing five warning shots, these committed men contained the situation and with the assistance of reinforcements, succeeded in getting all inmates back into their cells".
They put themselves at risk but were true to their mandate of the "ideal correctional official".
At Barberton, 36 members took it upon themselves to maintain order and control despite irresponsible actions by others.
Without regard for their own comfort they remained on duty for more than 29 hours before being relieved by support staff.
When reinforcement staff from Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal arrived at Barberton, they were confronted by illegal strikers who wanted to block their path to duty.
However, stability was restored at Barberton and Nelspruit, while at Devon Correctional Centre in Gauteng non-striking members continued to be in charge of the situation.
These committed men and women were "the true deliverers of a better life for all".
"It is they who remain true to the Batho Pele principles and for whom I, the deputy minister and commissioner will continue to strive for better working conditions," Balfour said.
Those who made themselves guilty of indiscipline, illegal action and the disruption of essential services, would have to bear the consequences.
"Unions within DCS operate within an agreed framework and I will continue to honour this. At the same time, where individuals or groups of members of unions act as they have been doing over the past few days, their unions must call them to order," Balfour said.
- SAPA