EMALAHLENI – Deputy Minister of Correctional Services, Lindiwe Ntshalintshali, has urged the public to refrain from bringing illicit substances, weapons, and counterfeit goods when visiting correctional facilities.
The former Mpumalanga MEC for Social Development emphasised that this directive aligns with her department’s mission to establish a more efficient and compassionate correctional system.
“We are humbly asking the community at large that when visiting their loved ones, please do not bring contraband such as cellphones, money, or drugs into correctional centres,” she said.
Ntshalintshali cautioned that severe consequences would follow if anyone is caught engaging in such behaviour. “If apprehended, you will be arrested and held accountable,” she declared.
The deputy minister made these remarks on Friday, September 20, during a prayer session at Witbank Correctional Facility to mark the conclusion of Corrections Week.
Corrections Week is an annual event organised by the Department of Correctional Services and observed at every facility nationwide. It includes various activities designed to highlight the department’s commitment to rehabilitating offenders and ensuring their successful reintegration into society.
Throughout the week, workshops, community dialogues, and exhibitions were held across South Africa to engage the public and foster a deeper understanding of the challenges and successes within the correctional system. The primary objective is to reaffirm the nation’s commitment to rehabilitating and reintegrating offenders.
The event in Emalahleni brought together government dignitaries, religious and spiritual leaders, and community members to reflect on the week’s activities and emphasise the importance of collective efforts in building a fair and just society.
Nombuso Mokwana, Emalahleni’s Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Environment and Acting Mayor for the day, was also present.
Ntshalintshali further stressed that Corrections Week is not just a departmental event but a national initiative. . “The aim is to skill our offenders, so that when they go back home, they don’t go back to their old life but instead use the skills they acquired to better their lives, ” she said.
“It is crucial for society to understand the role they play in the reintegration of offenders, ensuring that rehabilitation continues beyond the prison walls and into our communities.”
MMC Mokwana echoed these sentiments, emphasising the need for community involvement. “Our partnership with the Deputy Minister in Corrections Week is to make sure we give the offenders dignity and not to abandon them because they still need us to help them for when they go back to the community,” she said
Pastor Glen Makam, representing spiritual leaders, called on South Africans, including the public and private sectors, to work together to provide opportunities for those who have “paid their debt to society,” helping them reintegrate with dignity.
