As part of building stronger communities, Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele will host a prayer service at Khayelitsha in the Western Cape on Sunday (24 November 2013).
Thousands of people, including members of the public, community leaders, correctional officials as well as other government officials, are expected to attend. The event forms part of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) “Imvuselelo” programme being hosted across the country. On 25 August, the programme was hosted in the Eastern Cape and on 29 November it will be hosted in KwaZulu-Natal.
Minister Ndebele said the programme aims to foster social cohesion. “Through the ‘Imvuselelo’ programme, DCS wants to foster social cohesion amongst communities. Earlier this year, we declared 2013 as ‘The Year of the Correctional Official’. When society breaks down, Correctional Services picks up the pieces and deals with the entirety of the human experience. Correctional Officials work with offenders under extremely abnormal circumstances, and therefore a spiritually motivated official is effective in the fight against crime.
“The mandate of DCS is to contribute to a safer South Africa, through promoting family unity and stronger community systems, as well as victim support and empowerment, while pursuing the rehabilitation of those incarcerated through well-managed rehabilitation programmes. Rehabilitation must impact the hearts, heads and hands of offenders. The trilogy of victim, offender and community must play a leading role in the implementation of these programmes. To this end, the religious fraternity is an important partner,” the Minister said.
Details of the prayer service are as follows:
Date: Sunday, 24 November 2013
Venue: Khayelistha Stadium, Cape Town
Time: 12h30
We wish to request media attending to please confirm attendance by sending their full names, ID or passport numbers, media house, mobile number and email address to Simphiwe Xako at Simphiwe.Xako@dcs.gov.za or 079 501 0272 / 021 550 6018.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 6444 050
