CORRECTION

On 7 June 2019, the Mail & Guardian published an article with the headline “Prisons boss Fraser at odds with jailers”. The article stated, among other things, that national prisons commissioner Arthur Fraser had instructed the department of correctional services’ KwazuluNatal region to abandon an appeal against the reinstatement of eight prison warders by the General Public Services Bargaining Council. The article also stated that Fraser had promoted Mandla Mkhabela as chief operating officer without proper qualifications and without the post being advertised. It further stated that Fraser was “bringing in his own people”, based on interviews with sources in the department. This is not correct.

The M&G had attempted to verify the allegations contained in the article, but had failed to do so at the time of publication.

Singabakho Nxumalo, the spokesperson for Fraser, said: “The media query should have been explicit in stating that it wanted to do an audit or scrutinise the decisions taken by the national commissioner, since April 2018. This would have afforded Mr Fraser an opportunity to prepare himself and respond adequately, fully understanding that he is in the spotlight, as the article is about him and him alone.”’

The M&G apologises for the failure to verify the incorrect facts contained in the article before publication and for any embarrassment or inconvenience it may have caused.