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Outsourced recruitment boosts Corrections dept

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:06

The Department of Correctional Services’ outsourcing of staff recruitment has proved to be a very effective exercise, which speeds up the process of job applications. "The outsourcing of recruitment was a special intervention aimed at handling and processing multi-millions of applications normally received for particularly entry level posts in Correctional Services,” said National Commissioner Vernie Petersen.

Briefing the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services in Parliament, Commissioner Petersen said some of the specialised services cannot be provided internally and has to be outsourced.

According to the department, outsourcing recruitment helps the department as it does not have capacity to process millions of applications received for entry level posts.

Among services outsourced by the department is a transaction advisor for building Public Private Partnership Correctional Centres, ensuring compliance and Information Technology audits, staff training at all levels, catering and training services at some management areas.

These also include installing a state of the art fencing, biometric security system and television monitors in communal cells.

Also briefing the committee, Deputy Commissioner of Supply Chain Management Mollet Ngubo said recruitment achievements of correctional services over the past two financial years has left an unprecedented mark in the department’s history.

The department has recruited over 10 000 officials through outsourcing the recruitment of staff at a cost of R15 million over a period of two years.

Justifying continued outsourcing of some services, Mr Ngubo said there were many benefits of outsourcing which include relieving limited human resources to focus on delivering on the core business, transferring risks, ensuring value for money and enhancing service quality.

Portfolio Committee Chairperson, Dennis Bloem, urged the department to continuously review its decisions on outsourcing of services and products.

“It is in the interest of the whole country that Correctional Services is run better and more efficiently as one crucial player in the criminal justices system,” he said.

- BuaNews