first ever South African Development Community (SADC) games of correctional
officials in Durban today
28 August 2006
Minister of Sport and Recreation, Makhenkesi Stofile and the Minister of
Correctional Services, Ngconde Balfour, will launch the first ever games of
prisons and correctional officials from the SADC in Durban on 28 August 2006 at
the University of KwaZulu-Natal at 10h00.
The five day games conceptualised last year, seek to contribute through
sport and recreation in building an African correctional organisation that
espouses the new ethos and values outlined in various declarations of African
countries on the treatment of offenders. Six of the SADC member countries will
be competing for the honours in soccer, netball, athletics and volleyball from
28 August to 1 September 2006.
Over six hundred correctional officials have converged in Durban, South
Africa for the games which are seen as paving a way for greater integration of
corrections into the mainstream of post-conflict reconstruction and development
in Africa.
The whole week will be a hive of activities in Durban as the historic SADC
sports gathering is organised to coincide with an extra-ordinary Conference of
Eastern, Southern and Central African Heads of Correctional Services (CESCA)
scheduled to start on Wednesday, 30 August 2006 and a one day workshop of CESCA
member states that will discuss an integrated strategy for human resources
development on corrections in Africa. For details of the week's activities
kindly find attached programmes of all these engagements.
A summary of the high profile activities for the week include:
* the official launch of the first ever games by Ministers Balfour and Stofile
at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Westville indoor sports centre) at 10h00 on
28 August 2006
* on Tuesday, 29 August 2006, Correctional Services Deputy Minister Loretta
Jacobus will address a one day human resources development strategy workshop of
CESCA member states at Elangeni Hotel. The workshop will be attended and
addressed by the Penal Reform Initiative (PRI), the United Nations and various
other NGOs and academic institutions, as is expected to lay a foundation for an
African Correction s Academy
* Minister Balfour will officially open the two-day historic conference of
CESCA on Wednesday, 30 August 2006 at Elangeni Hotel. The CESCA conference will
discuss a new constitution that will pave a way towards an African corrections
organisation which will play a more critical role in Africa's post conflict
reconstruction and development like in Somalia, Rwanda and the Democratic
Republic of Congo
* the CESCA conference will be closed on Thursday, 31 August 2006 by
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sbu Ndebele with an outline of a clear way forward in
efforts to build a pan African corrections body
* on Friday, 1 September 2006 the Minister Balfour will officially close the
SADC games with results announced.
Your institution is invited to cover these historic events that testify to
South Africa's greater role in building a better Africa and a new world order
that is premised on the respect of human and people's rights as well as on a
need for the reconstruction and development of the continent.
Enquires:
Manelisi Wolela
Cell: 083 626 0304
Luphumzo Kebeni
Cell: 082 453 2244
Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
28 August 2006
Source: SAPA
