Officials of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), Bethal Management Area, carried out their duty during a series of unannounced, sporadic search and seizure operations at correctional facilities over the festive season.

The festive operations, known as Operation Vala, aimed at sweeping out contraband from the facilities.

Dedicated men and women in brown uniforms recovered and confiscated several items of contraband, including cellphones, dagga, sharp objects, and other items that were illegally smuggled to correctional facilities.

Acting area commissioner of Bethal Management Area, Mzwamakhaya Dlepu, steered the operation with executives from various directorates in numerous unannounced operational visits to correctional centres and community corrections.

They conducted audits by inspecting documents that were relevant to their respective directorates.

They visited various directorates of the correctional centres and community corrections, checking compliance with the standard operating policies (SOPs) of the organisation.

During the process, the team examined administration documents and resources.

According to Dlepu, the visits were intended to assist and support correctional centres and community corrections.

“We interrogated mistakes that were identified to correct them together with officials,” said Dlepu.

On New Year’s Eve, Dlepu and the station commander of Bethal SAPS, Lieutenant Colonel Tsekiso Tseole, led a multidisciplinary team of DCS Community Corrections, Emergency Support Team (EST), and SAPS officials on an operation.

The operation was intended to trace and arrest parolees who are not complying with parole conditions.

As a result, the team traced and arrested two parolees for non-compliance.

Dlepu interacted with the caregivers of absconding parolees to understand the situation of parolees. He also took time to listen to and note their complaints.

Lieutenant Colonel Tseole applauded the solid partnership between the two law enforcement departments.
He encouraged officials to keep it intact and ensure that it grows stronger every day.

Dlepu said he was grateful to all officials who were on the beat. He applauded them for demonstrating utmost devotion during the festive season.

According to him, the attitude and approach will remain beyond the festive season.

“Thank you to all the men and women in the brown uniform, who sacrificed quality time with their families to ensure that the mandate of the DCS remains uninterrupted during the festive season. I hope the same dynamism and enthusiasm will prevail throughout the year. Our objective is to ensure that our correctional facilities are free of contraband.

“We appeal to communities to assist us in the fight against acts of criminality that contribute towards smuggling contraband to our correctional facilities,” concluded Dlepu.