Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has called on the Department of Correctional Services to strive to ensure that offenders become better than what they were.
The Minister, accompanied by Correctional Services National Commissioner Mr Tom S Moyane, addressed KwaZulu-Natal Correctional Services provincial management at the Westville Correctional Centre on Friday, 15 June 2012.
The visit forms part of a series of visits that Minister Ndebele is undertaking to Correctional Services Centres across the country to acquaint himself with the state of affairs at the various prisons, following his appointment as Minister of Correctional Services last Tuesday, 12 June 2012. Last Thursday, 14 June 2012, the Minister met with former Correctional Services Minister NN Mapisa-Nqakula, Deputy Minister Dr. Ngoako Ramatlhodi and senior management at Head Office in Pretoria.
As part of Youth Month commemorations, Minister Ndebele also visited the Westville Correctional Youth Centre as well as the Female and Mother and Child Unit.
“As government, we remain fully committed to our shared vision of a caring and just society, enjoining us to afford even those who err against society the opportunity to correct and mend their ways under humane conditions. We must go all out to rehabilitate and create conditions for those seriously seeking opportunities for change in their lives to access them. We are passionate about galvanising understanding and support for our transformative agenda from prisons to corrections, and preparing those of our offenders who need to get ready to be reintegrated as functional members of society.
“Therefore, we are engaging with the private sector to donate books and baby items for our prisons. We must create an environment in our prisons that will contribute towards offenders becoming better than what they were, thereby ensuring a better South Africa. We want to encourage our inmates to study, study, study. The beauty of being a human being is you can change. The emphasis of Correctional Services is correction, and all of us can be corrected,” said Minister Ndebele.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 6444 050
