Deputy Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize will this Friday, 6 November 2009, visit the Pollsmoor Female Correctional Centre in the Western Cape to introduce Imbeleko, a project seeking to address the needs of babies behind bars with their incarcerated mothers. She will interact with women offenders, together with their babies, and also visit the crèche and the unit for mothers and babies.
Imbeleko is an initiative launched by the deputy minister in the Eastern Cape on 26 August 2009 to address the rights of children of incarcerated mothers. It is aimed at creating a climate conducive to the developmental needs of children during their first two years of life spent within our correctional facilities. The project was rolled out in Durban Westville on 18 September 2009.
The long term objective, with the support of the families of inmates, communities, civil society formations, and the broader South African society, is to find appropriate homes for the children outside correctional centres. Correctional Services sees this as the best way, in the child’s interest, of ensuring that incarceration does not become the only environment known to the babies behind bars, particularly during their formative years.
All members of the media are invited to attend as follows:
Date: Friday, 6 November 2009
Venue: Pollsmoor Female Correctional Centre
Time: 09h00
Enquiries or confirmations:
David Hlabane
Cell: 082 052 3499
Ofentse Morwane
Cell: 079 501 0272
Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
3 November 2009
