The Deputy Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Mr. Thabang Makwetla, will address a two-day Ex-Offenders Conference, scheduled for 23 and 24 July 2015 in Pretoria.
Hosted by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), the conference will bring together ex-offenders, victims, academics and other role-players in order to develop a South African roadmap, and blueprint, about the role of former inmates within broader society.
In recognising that the marginalisation of ex-offenders, and the failure to facilitate their re-entry into mainstream society as productive citizens, may undermine public safety, offender reintegration has been identified as an important facet of any long-term crime prevention strategy. This is also outlined in the White Paper on Corrections, which prioritises the rehabilitation, and reintegration, of inmates. The mandate of DCS requires efforts to ensure the rehabilitation of all inmates, so that they may return to their communities with the desire, and ability, to become productive members of society.
As effective reintegration is not easily achievable, a range of services are necessary to support persons while they are incarcerated and once they are released from correctional centres. Non-governmental organisations, including community-based organisations, have a major role to play in this regard.
This media alert is for planning purposes, and a formal media invitation, with other relevant details, will be circulated in due course. We wish to request media interested in pre-conference, actual-conference or post-conference interviews to please confirm accordingly, as soon as possible, with Zodwa Mtsweni at Zodwa.Mtsweni@dcs.gov.za or 072 311 3500.
Enquiries:
Manelisi Wolela
Cell: 076 062 2180
