Deputy Minister Makwetla is calling for no ordinary public servants
“Correctional Officials are no ordinary public servants”, this was an assertion made by Justice and Correctional Services Deputy Minister Thabang Makwetla while addressing over 450 trainee correctional officials at the Zonderwater Training College for Correctional Services, near Cullinan in Pretoria today 5 July 2016.
Deputy Minister Thabang Makwetla urged the trainees to cherish the opportunities they have, which are a product of the sacrifices made by the youth of 1976 and those created by the democratic government.
The Zonderwater trainees, together with Kroonstad trainees are the last group of over 3000 recruits announced by Minister Michael Masutha during his budget vote speech and are currently completing their basic training at both Zonderwater and Kroonstad Training Colleges of Correctional Services.
Correctional Services will recruit a further 2064 in the 2016/17 financial year, with over R50 million set aside to create jobs for many unemployed youth while also helping to build a pool of critical and energetic young officials who will help accelerate the transformation of the department to a human rights and rehabilitation centred system of corrections.
Addressing the 450 trainee correctional officials, most of who are coming from KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West provinces, Deputy Minister Makwetla warned them to be ethical, upright, resilient and hardworking, as dealing with offenders is by no means a small fit. Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Free State recruits are trained in Kroonstad.
“We are expecting a calibre of officials that understand the constitution, our legislation, international conventions and protocols and conduct themselves in a manner that resembles a real professional and developmental civil service,” said Deputy Minister Makwetla.
Correctional Services’ recruitment campaign has provided a lifeline to many of the unemployed youths some of who come from destitute households, 14 of whom come from child-headed households. Deputy Minister Makwetla was then taken on a tour of the facility which he praised for being maintained far better than what one would ordinarily witness in some of the public buildings.
The Deputy Minister also witnessed the trainees undergoing basic training and firearms use. One of the trainees, Bonginkosi Skhosana, representing his colleagues, said they were looking forward to graduate and wear their uniform with pride, making a positive contribution to realise a South Africa where all people are and feel safe.
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