Despite spending close to R1-billion on installing security systems to lock up hardened criminals and keep them away from communities, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has failed to ensure that the systems are operational.

An ongoing investigation by the Daily Dispatch shows that the DCS awarded a tender of R723-million to Bosasa Group of Companies to erect fences and install surveillance equipment in prisons across the country. But the department did little to ensure the equipment worked.

Major prisons in the Eastern Cape, including those in East London, Port Elizabeth, Mthatha, Queenstown and Mdantsane, were included in the list of facilities for the tender call.

Perimeter fences, lights along the boundary fences and hundreds of close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras were installed in these prisons with great fanfare from then DCS Minister Ngconde Balfour.

But the Dispatch investigation shows the security measures are working in none of the Eastern Cape prisons.

Fences have gaping holes, gates at maximum security centres are locked with no more than a padlock, and CCTV cameras and control room monitors are dead.

The tenders were awarded to Bosasa in 2005 and 2006 for both installation and maintenance of DCS security systems.

According to documents in possession of the Dispatch:

• In June 2005, a tender worth R236 997 385 was awarded to Bosasa for the supply, delivery, installation, commissioning and maintenance of CCTV cameras, access control and body scanning at 66 correctional centres;
• In November 2006, a tender worth R486 937 910 was awarded to Bosasa for the supply, delivery, installation, commissioning and maintenance of outer perimeter fences and CCTV cameras at a number of correctional centres.

Bosasa group chief executive Angelo Agrizzi said Phezulu Fencing, a subsidiary of Bosasa, installed certain fences in 2006 and in 2007 and handed them over to DCS.

“The fences were working perfectly,” Agrizzi said.

In a letter of recommendation on the fences contract for the prisons, DCS commissioner for the directorate of contract management Joe Maako said DCS received “value for money” from Sondolo IT, a subsidiary of Bosasa, in the contract implementation.

Highly placed sources within DCS told Dispatch more millions were later spent to fix broken fences.

“This money was not only paid to Bosasa alone, more millions were paid to a company called SA Fence and Gates to do almost the same work Bosasa did,” the source said.

Agrizzi said SA Fence and Gates were awarded a tender worth an estimated R1.4-billion to install fences for the department.

Dispatch could not ascertain exactly how much was paid to SA Fence and Gates by DCS.

SA Fence and Gates spokesman Gary Alfonso promised to respond today to the Dispatch questions.

Another source said that despite the money spent to fix the “broken prisons”, prison warders and other inmates were still at risk as inmates were always trying to find ways of escaping.

Since 2011, the Dispatch reported close to 50 inmates had escaped and a number of inmates and an official have been killed (see page 2).

Sources told the Dispatch the DCS hoped the tender woes would not be exposed as it would embarrass the institution’s senior management.

The source said Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha should answer for this but his office referred the Dispatch to the department for comment.

Questions were sent to DCS spokesman Manelisi Wolela on June 1, but 20 days later, he has failed to respond. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za