Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele will officially open new facilities at the Brandvlei Correctional Centre in the Western Cape on Tuesday, 22 October 2013.
Details of the event are as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 22 October 2013
Time: 9h00
Venue: Brandvlei Correctional Centre, Worcester, Western Cape
We wish to request media attending the event to please confirm attendance by no later than 14h00 today (Monday, 21 October) with Zodwa Mtsweni on 012 307 8289 or 072 311 3500.
Section 35(2) (e) of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution states that offenders have the right “to conditions of detention that are consistent with human dignity, including at least exercise and the provision, at state expense, of adequate accommodation, nutrition, reading material and medical treatment.”
The Department of Correctional Centres (DCS) has 243 correctional centres across the country which were built over the past 100 years or so, when corrections and rehabilitation were unheard of. With the policy shift from historical custodial warehousing to rehabilitation, a review, and redesign, of facilities is required to enable unit management as well as enhance public involvement, offender development and social reintegration.
To this end, the Brandvlei Correctional Centre marks another landmark accomplishment in providing correctional facilities which make provision for rehabilitation, adequate security as well as conditions consistent with human dignity.
New correctional centres such as Brandvlei reflect a philosophical, and architectural, evolution in recent years with improvements in concept, functional design and implementation of the new goals of rehabilitation and training of inmates. This new centre will go a long way in contributing towards the creation of an environment conducive for rehabilitation.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 644 4050
