Correctional Services National Commissioner Tom Moyane says “my heart bleeds when I see so many youths languishing in jail and losing prime years of their lives because of crime”.
Addressing an anti-crime campaign in Modimolle Correctional Centre this afternoon, Commissioner Moyane said it is lamentable that part of the cream of our youths between ages 18 and 35 years are behind bars, with many serving maximum jail terms.
He urged hundreds of juveniles incarcerated at Modimolle Correctional Centre of Excellence to make the best use of the opportunities given by Correctional Services so that they can leave the centre as “changed beings”. He also called on Correctional Services managers and officials to strengthen their outreach programmes aimed at improving lives of ordinary South Africans particularly those that sleep hungry and do not know where the next meal will come from.
Commissioner Moyane led an entourage that included the Speaker of Modimolle Municipality Mr Mashau, Councillors and Executive Managers of Correctional Services and the Department of Justice in harvesting vegetables for donating to a centre for displaced children. The correctional centre that houses juveniles adopted the children’s centre in 2008 and built a dedicated vegetable garden that has provided vegetables sustainably since then. The children’s centre supports about 200 children daily with at least one balanced meal with community members serving as volunteers.
The National Commissioner also praised the initiative of Modimolle Correctional Centre saying “we definitely cannot afford to fold our arms while scores of children go to bed hungry without knowing where the next meal will come from.” We (also) cannot rest while increasing scores of young offenders are swelling our already overcrowded correctional centres and just watch them do nothing with their time and energy, while opportunities are plenty for their productive engagement in projects that have a direct positive spin off for the Department”.
The event is part of the Corrections Week 2010 campaign of correctional services that is aimed at building public awareness, understanding and better participation of the public and stakeholders in the administration of Corrections. The theme of the campaign is “together doing more to break the cycle of crime”.
Various messages of support were made by local government leadership and even offenders all emphasising the message that “crime does not pay”. Commissioner Moyane thanked the Department of Social Development and Modimolle Municipality for ensuring that a partnership established over two years ago to help poor children is sustained.
A series of other anti-crime events were organised nationally by correctional services as part of the Corrections Week. Tomorrow the best offender choirs of correctional services will converge in Bloemfontein to showcase the best the department can offer in a music festival to be attended by the Minister of Correctional Services.
Enquiries:
Manelisi Wolela
Cell: 083 626 0304
Commissioner Moyane concerned about numbers of youths in jail
