Pretoria - The Department of Correctional Services has set the ball rolling to improve its financial management following eight years of qualified reports.
Officials have set aside about R21 million to recruit 496 interns specifically to beef up its asset management capacity in all its 48 management areas, six regional offices and head office.
The department has been receiving qualified audits stretching back to 2001, with this year's Auditor-General (AG) report revealing that there was R483 million in unauthorised spending.
The posts were advertised in the weekend newspapers and potentials have up to 15 October to submit their applications.
The recruitment campaign is aimed at attracting graduates with competencies in supply chain management, commerce and public administration. They will be contracted for 12 months to help solve asset management challenges.
"The graduates will also gain on-the-job competencies and skills that will increase their marketability on the job market," said Correctional Services National Commissioner, Tom Moyane.
He said they were hopeful the young recruits would break their eight-year qualified report spell.
"It is no longer enough to celebrate the reduction of qualified areas from six years ago to only one over the past two years. We must now eliminate the qualification we receive on our asset management system," Moyane said.
Despite the depth of the asset management challenges, the department is targeting the 2012/13 financial year for achieving a clean audit report.
In his report, the AG identified movable assets as a major challenge, where full explanations could not be found on discrepancies between various asset management systems. These ran into hundreds of millions of rands.
Commissioner Moyane said he took the qualification of the department "very seriously."
The recruitment of interns will add to interventions already achieved to address audit qualifications.
The department has also migrated all of its 142 units nationwide to the new Logistical System as approved by the National Treasury. This is to ensure one asset register and effective verification systems.
The AG has decided to form a partnership with Correctional Services to help address audit challenges in the department, while the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services has vowed to intensify oversight role.
