Siyabulela Mlombile
7 May 2006
The Regional Commissioner of Correctional Services in Gauteng, Mr Siyabulela
Mlombile, who passed away yesterday, was born in the Eastern Cape and
matriculated from Jongilizwe College in Tsolo in 1979. His life as the son of a
pastor in the rural areas gave him a profound understanding of the social
conditions of their community, something that informed his involvement in
politics and his deep commitment to the rehabilitation of offenders and
corrections as a societal responsibility. He also dedicated his life to serving
the Lord and his spirituality impacted greatly on those who came into contact
with and on his work broadly.
He left law studies in 1980 to join African National Congressâs (ANC)
military wing uMkhonto Wesizwe. In exile he underwent military and intelligence
training in various countries including Angola, Soviet Union and Germany. He
also served the ANC in various military and intelligence positions in a number
of countries including Angola, Zambia, Tanzania, before returning to South
Africa, after the unbanning. On his return he worked in ANC Head Office in the
intelligence and security structures.
He served very well in the Transitional Executive Council intelligence
structures, in particular in relation to the structuring of the intelligence
dispensation for an emerging democracy before joining the National Intelligence
Coordinating Committee (NICOC) as General Manager Support Services and as
Deputy Head of the National Intelligence Estimates Board after 1994 historic
elections. He was later transferred to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA)
and served an important stint there utilising his experience of working in
NICOC to enhance the senior management of NIA.
Motivated by a passion for assisting people to change their lives, he joined
the Department of Correctional Services as Chief Deputy Commissioner
(CDC)equivalent to DDG) for Corporate Services in April 2002 and was redeployed
to serve as Regional Commissioner for Gauteng in 2004 while also acting as the
first CDC for Corrections.
He played a critical role in the development of the departmentâs new
strategic direction leading up to the adoption of the White Paper on
Corrections in South Africa by the Cabinet in February 2006.Most importantly,
he made a profound contribution in relation to our understanding of the
challenges of social restoration of offenders; the role of the community in
correction, both in preventing crime and in the social reintegration of
offendersâ and the competencies of an ideal correctional official.
Mr Mlombile had an ongoing interest in research and study, and also did
Human Resources Management with Technikon Witwatersrand before proceeding to
obtain a University of Wales validate Master of Business Administration degree.
He is also a writer of published and unpublished books. Together with Sandy
Africa they published âTransforming the Intelligence Services: Some Reflections
on the South African Experienceâ, a Harvard University Project on Justice in
Times of Transition in 2001.
He also served in a number of international and national panels that
assisted and advised governments of Guatemala, Peru and South Africa on
intelligence matters between 2000 and 2005.
He leaves behind his wife and three children.
A saddened Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour described Mr
Mlombile as âan outstanding manager and a great visionaryâ who was motivated by
his love to serve people of South Africa with excellence.
Enquiries: Manelisi Wolela
Cell: 083 626 0304
Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
7 May 2006
