3.6 Incarceration programme 3.6.1 The Incarceration programme provides for services and well- maintained physical infrastructure that support safe and secure conditions of detention consistent with human dignity. It also provides for the profiling and compilation of correctional sentence plans, administration and interventions. In addition to the Remand Detention and Offender Management sub-programmes, it comprises the Security Operations and Facilities sub-programmes. 3.6.2 The DCS reported an increase in the number of assaults from 5 284 in 2011/12 to 6 884 in 2012/13. The increase is ascribed to an increase in the reporting of such incidents, and not necessarily to an increase in actual assaults. 3.6.3 In addition, the number of gang-related incidents had also increased by 55,38%. This increase was also ascribed to improved reporting, and therefore the DCS views it as an indication that the gang management strategy it employed is functioning well. 3.6.4 The DCS failed to achieve its targets in relation to unnatural deaths too. It had undertaken to reduce such deaths to 44, but 57 such deaths were reported. The report states that 29 of the unnatural deaths were suicides. Of concern is that the JICS reported only 19 such deaths for the same period. 3.6.5 Although the adoption of the Policy Framework to Address Sexual Abuse of Inmates in DCS Facilities, points to an acknowledgement that such assaults are prevalent enough to warrant a dedicated policy and strategy, recommendations that assaults should be disaggregated to isolate sexual assault cases, have once again not been implemented. 3.6.6 In October 2011, after much debate about the true value of utilising a public private partnership (PPP)-funding model to procure more correctional centres, the DCS announced that it would not proceed with the process of procuring the additional four correctional centres that would have been procured through the PPP- funding model. 3.6.7 At the time of reporting labour unrest had compromised security at the Mangaung PPP Correctional Centre, forcing its management to call on the DCS to intervene, and temporarily take over management of the facility. The Committee has not yet been briefed on what had led to the situation, however the incident validates our serious concerns about the cost and appropriateness of 'outsourcing' national security services. These concerns are shared by the Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). 3.6.8 Despite the obvious pressure on infrastructure exerted by overcrowding, the DCS had again failed to meet its targets in relation to creating additional bedspaces. Major and long outstanding construction projects, which ought to have provided 1 045 new bedspaces have suffered serious delays. The DCS has indicated that the DPW and/or SITA have been responsible for the delays. Unfortunately the DCS' management have not been able to provide adequate evidence of efforts it has made to ensure that the necessary pressure was exerted to ensure that projects were completed, if not by original deadlines, then within reasonable time.