Balfour during the Eastern, Southern and Central Africa Heads of Correctional
and Prisons Services conference, Durban
30 August 2006
Commissioner Linda Mti
Commissioners and Heads of Prisons and Correctional Services from the Eastern,
Southern and Central Africa regions
Representatives of:
United Nations
Penal Reform Institute
South African Human Rights Commission
NICRO
Africa Institute of South Africa
Institute of Security Studies
Institute of International Relations
Tertiary Institutions
UNISA
This gathering in the form of the Extra Ordinary Conference of Eastern,
Southern and Central Africa (CECSCA) Heads of Correctional and Prisons Services
signals a new beginning in the history of correctional services in Africa.
The interaction of this nature ushers a new approach that emphasises on the
critical importance of learning from each otherâs best practices in a bid to
re-align our corrections and prisons systems so that they are in tandem with
international standards and also further placing emphasis on rehabilitation and
social re-integration of offenders.
As Africans, the socio-economic conditions in which we operate are more or
less similar and therefore we should have mutual areas of common interest in
terms of our new approach to correctional and prisons services, particularly
with regards to the transformation of our services, so that they are on par
with international standards. I am however cognisant of the challenges many of
us are facing due to the historical socio-economic disparities affecting most
African countries.
It is therefore our duty as Africans to assist some of us who, due to lack
of resources as a result of this gloom historical legacy and the related
disparities, are unable to advance and move on the same wavelength with the
rest of us in re-shaping correctional and prisons services on the
continent.
Africa expects a lot from this gathering and I am confident that your
presence here will not be in vain. I am more certain that the calibre of these
distinguished men and women who are at the held of corrections and prisons
services, will be able to ensure that the outcomes of this event, do not merely
remain concepts in paper but become vision and mission statements that can be
implemented and achieved in the regions where we come from. The ultimate
objective is to ensure that this extends throughout the continent. You are the
ones who have to set the tone and example for the rest of the African countries
that have not yet come on board with us, to follow suit.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me to briefly reflect on the South African history
of transforming a militaristic prison system into a correctional system that
emphasises on and places society at the centre of, rehabilitation and social
re-integration of offenders. The institutional culture of the department, based
on the Apartheid policy and culture of penal retribution created a monster out
of prisons, with many becoming breeding grounds for systematic and organised
network of criminal activities and corruption run by both prisoner and
warder.
The advent of democracy in South Africa in April 1994 ushered an era of
transformation of prisons into centres of corrections and rehabilitation. The
mammoth task of turning around such a closely-knit, conservative, semi military
and security establishment into an institution of correcting offending
behaviour and a place of new beginnings for offenders was not a smooth
sailing.
With the introduction of the White Paper on Corrections in March 2005, the
Department of Correctional Services underwent a revolutionary process that
demanded the re-alignment of systems with new policies and drawing of resources
towards the realisation of the vision as encapsulated in the document placing
rehabilitation and social re-integration of offenders at the centre stage of
correctional services. This is a vision that has changed the face of
correctional services whose objectives we hope to ultimately realise and
achieve in 20 years.
The lessons we have learnt in the transformation process since 1994 and also
in the implementation of the White Paper on Corrections, are living examples
from which practices could be drawn for the strengthening of correctional
services in Africa. Similarly, the best practices in your respective countries
that have been shared by many of you could be of critical importance in
improving and enhancing the quality of service we provide.
All that however will not materialise if we operate in silos and in
isolation from each other. It is for this reason that we need to move with
greater urgency and speed in ensuring the dismantling of regional barriers that
are a stumbling block in our strides to establish a continental body or
structure of correctional services that would represent our common views and
interests. The objective is to holistically create conducive conditions for the
improvement of correctional services on the continent with emphasis on
rehabilitation and social re-integration of offenders.
This should be located within the context of a human rights culture within
correctional centres or prisons which demands that treatment of offenders be
aligned to the United Nation (UN) Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners. However the challenge we face is the successful implementation of
these international standards and norms in correctional centres or prisons,
without a co-ordinating structure and body located within the African Union and
the United Nations, to oversee that these standards and norms are adhered
to.
African countries cannot continue to be bashed internationally for their
inability to transform their prisons services in tandem with international
standards if they are not supported and encouraged to do so by any
co-ordinating structure at international and continental level where their
views and interests would be heard, represented and pursued. Correctional and
Prisons Services is at the receiving end of the criminal justice process and
therefore plays a significant role in correcting offending behaviour after the
conviction of the offender. Accordingly, its huge responsibility should be
afforded the same treatment and attention like any other critical component of
the safety and security cluster, continentally and internationally.
It is against this backdrop that we also call for the formation of a
correctional services organ within the African Union and the United Nations to
advance the interests of Correctional and Prisons Services in Africa. This
would assist in ensuring the compliance of our policies on the treatment of
offenders with the international standards and norms.
The majority of our prisons and correctional centres on the continent are
faced with overcrowding, increasing number of awaiting trial detainees,
shortage of critical staff and lack of adequate resources to implement
rehabilitation programmes and also provide the necessary treatment to
offenders.
Whilst we emphasise on the need to improve such conditions, particularly the
treatment of offenders and the importance of focusing on rehabilitation and
involvement of society in correcting offending behaviour, the resources are
however inadequate. This therefore requires that we forge partnerships so that
we are able to promote mutual development in diverse areas such as management /
leadership development and training, capacity building, resource provision,
etc.
South Africa has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the
Department of Prisons Services of Zambia for mutual development and assistance
in various areas that would benefit the departments of prisons and correctional
services in both countries.
We are determined to ensure that is extended to other countries beyond the
Southern African region. It is through such formal relationship and interaction
that we will be able to strengthen our capacity to deliver quality service that
is on par with international standards.
As we deliberate over the next three days, let us also identify those areas
which we could explore for the development of our capacity as the leadership
and staff of prisons and correctional services in Africa.
The challenges of transforming correctional services and prisons in Africa
are enormous and profound. Africa is looking towards this conference for the
solution to the critical challenges faced by the Prisons and Correctional
Services in many countries. We will have to ensure that as we leave Durban, we
carry along to our respective countries a message of hope that we are about to
change the face and image of Africa as far as correctional and prisons service
is concerned.
Only you can make it happen. You are the only hope and therefore you cannot
fail Africa!
I thank you
Issued by: Department of Correctional Service
30 August 2006
Source: Department of Correctional Service (http://www.dcs.gov.za)
