Offender labour is being utilised to do up Mzwilili Junior Primary School in Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, where the body of eight year old Nonjabulo Sabela, who was brutally raped and killed, was found on 28 February 2013.
Seventeen parolees and probationers, as well as four Correctional Officials, have been assisting in cutting the grass and trees, clearing the bush and cleaning the school yard. On Saturday, 20 April 2013 Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele visited Mzwilili Junior Primary, as part of the Education Safer Schools Programme.
The Department of Correctional Services is actively participating in activities across the country, to contribute towards improving the infrastructure, and environment, in schools. This also ensures that offenders give back to communities, and demonstrate remorse for the crimes they committed against communities.
Several schools have benefitted from this programme. These include the Motheo district where inmates from the Mangaung Correctional Centre, situated outside Bloemfontein, revamped more than 1 528 school desks as at 2 November 2012 for primary schools in the greater Motheo district; on 18 July 2012, Minister Ndebele, together with offenders, gave the underprivileged 46-year-old Tsakane Primary School in Tsakane Township near Brakpan in Gauteng a makeover.
Offenders from the Boksburg Correctional Centre repaired desks, installed library shelves and burglar bars, cleaned the school yard, fixed broken classroom windows, repaired the fence, painted the school and developed a vegetable garden in order to alleviate severe infrastructural challenges at the school; and, on 16 July 2012, Minister Ndebele was in Mpumalanga Province where the Ezakheni Combined School received a donation of 2,178 kilograms of five types of fresh vegetables, planted and cultivated by offenders from Piet Retief Correctional Centre, 900 grey trousers manufactured by offenders from Witbank Correctional Centre, 900 white shirts made by offenders from Mogwase Correctional Centre, several pairs of school shoes, and 834 dozen of eggs from Losperfontein Correctional Centre.
Delivering an address at the Umlazi King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday, 20 April Minister Ndebele said: “Today, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education received the Torch of Peace from the Gauteng Department of Education. This torch is a symbol of hope. It reflects government’s resolve to instill a strong sense of Ubuntu, to preserve lives and to eliminate violence, crime and social ills in all their forms.
The Torch of Peace also brings to mind memories of all those who have fallen victim to crime and violence. In particular, today, we think of eight year old Nonjabulo Sabela who was brutally raped, and killed, and whose body was found near her school, Mzwilili Junior Primary School. We condemn this, and other similar incidents, in the strongest possible terms. Our thoughts, and prayers, are with Nonjabulo’s family and friends.
“The Torch of Peace should, at all times, remind us of the importance of school safety and of the benefits of acting responsibly. Learning in a safer, and child-friendly, environment will boost learner confidence, and, thus, help improve learning outcomes. Such a climate will help us prepare learners to be responsible, law-abiding citizens in the future.
As government, we want to make a special plea to all parents, caregivers and teachers to inculcate positive values of respect, honesty and responsibility in our children. We, as adults, are role models for future generations, and should act as such. Children learn more from our actions, rather than from what we say. Children will know their rights, and responsibilities, to the extent that we teach them to do so, and to the extent that we create a climate that is conducive for learning and growing. We all must understand that freedom and rights come with corresponding responsibilities.
“We all need to strengthen relations between schools, communities, government, education stakeholders and partners, business, broader society and other role-players to reduce violence in our schools and communities. Government will continue to focus the attention of all sectors of society on matters which undermine our vision for a non-sexist, non-racial society and a South Africa free of violence, inequalities, abuse and discrimination. All sectors of society such as business, the faith-based community, traditional leaders, the entertainment sector, labour and other sectors, must take it upon themselves not to turn a blind eye, not to just talk against violence but to do something concrete, and positive, in their communities to contribute to the collective effort to build a society that protects, and respects, the rights of women and children.
We are encouraged by the pledge by men in many organisations, to strive towards becoming role models through behaviour, and practices, which uphold the dignity of young girls and women. They also pledged to mentor young boys on their journey to adulthood, thus ensuring that we, collectively, address attitudes that undermine the well-being of young girls, and women, as well as men and boys. We must continue to influence men to stop treating women, and children, as objects of abuse and violence.
“Let us all renew our pledge, and commitment, to ensure the safety, and wellbeing, of all citizens and communities. We salute all those who have taken it upon themselves to fight for the rights of vulnerable groups. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed, and are an immense contribution to the greater good of society. Society, in general, must be steered in the direction of good citizenship. We have to do our utmost best to keep our people, young and old, from imprisonment. Crime prevention is the cure for safe, and secure, living environments. The community, as the victim of crime, therefore, needs to move into a new movement that seeks partnerships to reduce crime and prevent repeat offending. Working together, we can do more to create safer schools and safer communities,” Minister Ndebele said.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 6444 050
