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- A correctional services department official allegedly shot and wounded a senior manager at head office this week.
- The wounded person is in a stable condition and the official has been arrested.
- A parliamentary portfolio committee was briefed on the shooting by Correctional Services commissioner Arthur Fraser.
A senior manager at the correctional services department was injured after a colleague allegedly opened fire on him at head office in Pretoria this week.
The department confirmed it attended to a "security breach incident" at its head office, on the corner of WF Nkomo and Bosman streets, on Thursday.
It is understood the two were based in the Directorate: Logistics.
"The injured official is stable and continues to receive medical attention", department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said.
He added trauma treatment was offered to other officials. Nxumalo said the officer's firearm was confiscated by the police, and he was arrested.
Pretoria police spokesperson Captain Augustine Selepe confirmed a man, 46, was arrested for attempted murder.
She said the motive for the shooting was unknown at this stage. "An internal investigation into the incident will also be launched by correctional services," added Nxumalo.
Correctional Services commissioner Arthur Fraser informed the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services on Friday of the shooting.
"I think it is prudent to mention that there has been a shooting incident at our head office where an official has shot another official," he said before he made his presentation to the committee.
"I can indicate that the official that was wounded is in a stable condition."
Fraser said they were expecting results from an investigation by next week.
"At a future stage, we will be able to provide comprehensive feedback on the matter. The official that has shot the colleague has been arrested and is remanded as we speak."
ANC MP Nomathemba Maseko-Jele asked what made the officials differ to the extent that someone was shot.
"This thing that happened in Pretoria is worrying, for many reasons. We expect the correctional services officials to be the ones that make things better," ANC MP Jacqueline Mofokeng said.
"But if we find that they are actually the ones that are killing each other, then you ask yourself, how deep are the problems there?"
She asked if they have a system to monitor officials undergoing wellness programmes.
"Are you having debriefings? Because you are human beings and we don't want to see the things we are seeing now."
Fraser said they would provide the committee with a comprehensive report on wellness.
READ HERE | Parliament's 'outraged' justice committee wants probe after official calls MPs 'boring' in viral video
In a separate matter, the committee expressed its outrage earlier in the week after it was called "boring" by the chairperson of the department's audit committee after a meeting in which the Auditor-General of South Africa explained why the department got a qualified audit.
The committee unanimously agreed on Wednesday that a proper investigation was required into a video that went viral in which Jane Matise, the chairperson of the audit committee, was heard making comments the committee considers insulting shortly after Tuesday's meeting.
At the start of the meeting, committee chairperson Bulelani Magwanishe received two letters - one from Justice Minister Ronald Lamola and one from Matise.
He asked the minister whether they should allow Lamola more time to investigate. The committee agreed.
"But it shouldn't be an open-ended deal. The investigation must be done and a report back made within a specified period. No, sometime in the future that nobody is sure of," said DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach.
ACDP MP Steve Swart said the letter from Matise gave him the impression "there is some genuine contrition in there".
"But I think it needs to be looked into by the minister," he added.
The committee resolved to give Lamola until 31 January to complete his investigation and report back to it.
