As part of International Mandela Day, Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele and offenders gave the underprivileged 46 year old Tsakane Primary School in Tsakane Township near Brakpan in Gauteng a makeover.
Earlier today (18 July), the Minister and officials spent 67 minutes with educators and learners at the school where they joined offenders from the Boksburg Correctional Centre repairing desks, installing library shelves and burglar bars, cleaning the school yard, fixing broken classroom windows, painting, fencing as well as developing a vegetable garden in order to alleviate severe infrastructural challenges at the school.
The initiative is aligned with Correctional Services mandate of changing the lives of offenders by affording them the opportunity to give back to communities and demonstrate remorse for the crimes they committed against communities. Correctional Services is actively participating in other activities across the country to contribute towards improving the infrastructure and environment in schools.
Following the school renovations, the Minister proceeded to a house in Naledi, Soweto where, together with offenders, they also assisted with painting, tiling, gardening and food parcels. The occupant of the house, now 46 years of age, ran away from his family when he was 15 years old. It is alleged that during this period he resided with other street kids in the vicinity of Lenasia.
He returned back home in March this year, more than 30 years later, to an empty house and was informed that all his family members have since passed away. He is currently being supported by community-based organisation New Soweto Community Projects and his rehabilitation is being monitored as he is being assisted to settle in the house.
On Monday (16 July), 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.
Minister Ndebele has called on everyone to emulate President Mandela. “Offenders must use their skills to plough back to the very communities they have wronged. Offender labour must be used to improve the conditions of the disadvantaged.
“Today (18 July), the Correctional Services Family joins the rest of the world in celebrating the 94th birthday of our international icon, and our own Madiba, by setting aside time, rolling up our sleeves and dedicating 67 minutes to working to uplift our communities. We salute and honour President Mandela, who spent his prime years fighting against poverty, hunger and unemployment. Let us all follow Mr. Mandela’s example, and inspire individuals to take action to make the world a better place, one small step at a time. Long live Madiba, long live!” the Minister said.
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