Inkatha Freedom Party Statement By:

MS SYBIL SEATON MP
IFP SPOKESPERSON ON CORRECTIONAL SERVICES

4 September 2007

The Inkatha Freedom Party would like to congratulate the Freedom of Expression Institutes' (FXI) statements that the Department of Correctional Services should move away from their defensive approach and cover-ups and that they should respect politicians, such as myself, and the citizens of this country to express ourselves through free speech, if we feel to do so.

I am constantly beleaguered with attacks from the Correctional Services Minister, Ngconde Balfour, when I speak out against corruption, maladministration, over-crowding, juvenile incarceration and several other important issues.

The Freedom of Expression Institute said that it is highly disturbed by the state of free speech in the public sector. Furthermore, they said that the acceptable ways of voicing one's concerns seem consistently ignored and the moment public servants begin to be truly heard they are victimised and criminalised.

I fully agree and think that it is a truly alarming trend we are currently seeing in this department.

The Minister must realise that the Department of Correctional Services should look at the issues and points we are raising and aim to solve them.

Mr Balfour is not going to solve his problems by lashing back and trying to get his critics to keep quiet.

The Minister needs to learn how to deal with criticism and how to utilise it to his best interests. He also need to take a long hard look at how his Department is being run and what can be done to improve the situation.

Only then will we be able to move forward and make a real difference

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Ms Sybil Seaton MP: 083 412 0075
Liezl van der Merwe: 083 611 7470