STRENGTHENING SECURITY AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT IN SECURE CARE CENTRES

By Cuma Pantshwa

• Security is a key focus as experts grapple with refining the norms and standards for secure care centres for children in South Africa.
• Secure care centres must align with national security standards to protect children, staff, and sensitive data from breaches or potential threats, according to the Department of Social Development’s Security Manager Len Esterhuizen.
• A task team set up by the department is holding discussions to help develop a national security framework that ensures compliance with physical and information security regulations.

As experts continue refining the norms and standards for secure care centres, security remains a key focus area in terms of both physical safety within the facilities and the protection of sensitive information.

A major component in this effort is the Integrated Justice System, which has provided the Department of Social Development with a critical tool for managing children in conflict with the law.

The Probation Case Management System enables probation officers to track, assess, and manage cases efficiently, ensuring appropriate intervention and placement.

Given the interconnected nature of child justice processes, the integration of the South African Police Service (SAPS) into these policy discussions has become essential.

The IJS’s mandate is part of the justice, crime prevention, and security cluster’s broader mission to enhance the safety and security of all South Africans. The cluster also works to:

•       Protect against cybercrime and identity theft
•       Improve access to civil justice
•       Combat corruption
•       Strengthen the process for issuing enabling documents

Strengthening security standards in secure care centres

Speaking at a workshop on strengthening standards in secure care centres, the Department of Social Development’s Security Manager, Len Esterhuizen, stressed the urgent need for SAPS to play an active role in shaping security protocols for secure care centres.

He explained that SAPS operates under minimum physical security standards, which outline baseline requirements for facility security.

Meanwhile, the State Security Agency provides oversight on national information security policies, which regulate the classification, handling, and storage of sensitive records, including ID documentation, criminal records, and case files.

“Secure care centres must align with national security standards to protect children, staff, and sensitive data from breaches or potential threats,” Esterhuizen emphasised.

The minimum information security standards, enforced by the State Security Agency and SAPS’s minimum physical security standards provide an important framework for safeguarding both information and operations within these facilities.

Esterhuizen further explained that secure information storage is non-negotiable, as mandatory policies dictate how children’s records must be handled and protected.

Experts also highlighted the importance of confidentiality and strict security protocols in preventing criminal activities, security breaches, and potential risks to children in secure care centres.

The department’s Social Work Policy Manager, Linda Makhathini, commended the progressive discussions, emphasising their critical role in ensuring full compliance for secure care centres.

She noted that security experts will contribute to developing a unified security framework, which will define minimum requirements for facility security, staff protocols, and information protection, echoing Esterhuizen’s views.

A national security framework for secure care

As discussions progress, the goal is to develop a national security framework that ensures compliance with both physical and information security regulations.

By combining the Integrated Justice System, SAPS, and the State Security Agency, the Department of Social Development aims to establish a safer, more efficient system that upholds the rights and dignity of children in secure care.

Senior legal officer Advocate Luyanda Mtshotshisa provided further insight, stating: “This work will form a legal document that will be officially published once authorised by the minister. It will then be gazetted for public comment before final implementation.”

Bridging gaps in secure care services

Leana Goosen, Chief Director of Social Welfare & Restorative Services in the Western Cape, who is part of the task team, highlighted the significance of these evolving norms and standards.

“Secure care is one of the most critical services rendered by the Department of Social Development, yet it has lacked extensive legislative guidance. These new norms and standards will fill that gap and empower staff in secure care to deliver better services. We are pleased to be part of this essential development,” she said.

As South Africa moves forward in modernising its child justice system, these reforms will ensure that secure care centres operate effectively, securely, and in full alignment with national policies, creating a safer and more rehabilitative environment for children.