Inkatha Freedom Party Statement By:

MRS SYBIL SEATON MP 

IFP SPOKESPERSON ON CORRECTIONAL SERVICES

17 October 2007

The Inkatha Freedom Party is shocked to learn that the Department of Correctional Services has failed to pay prison warders their overtime wages as promised by the end of August 2007.  

The deadline was then moved to the 16th of October 2007, but then proved to be an empty promise as the Department failed to meet this deadline as well. 

This behaviour by the Department is totally unacceptable especially since non-payment could lead to prison warders' abandoning their posts. Such a strike will no doubt lead to massive chaos and disruption at correctional centres across the country.  

The lack of action by the Department of Correctional Services is even worse if one takes into consideration that some of the warders have allegedly worked nearly two weeks non-stop with only two days off during a fourteen day period. 

The Inkatha Freedom Party calls on Minister of Correctional Services, Ngconde Balfour, to intervene immediately so as to prevent a huge crisis - a situation he knows his Department can ill afford. 

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