OUDTSHOORN NEWS - The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services, Kgomotso Ramolobeng, visited Oudtshoorn Correctional Facility on Friday 10 October. This concluded a week-long oversight visit to the Eastern and Western Cape.
Ramolobeng urged correctional services officers to uphold the intention and vision of government policy, which is to ensure correctional centres empower and reskill offenders.
She said the approach is a brilliant idea, but it has been hijacked by ill-meaning prison officials and incorrigible offenders.
“We want change and we must change to perfect the system. We are happy we were able to visit prisons in the provinces,” said Ramolobeng.
She said the system is working, but the simple things, like fixing leaking taps and reroofing kitchens, must be done with urgency.
“Departments need to work together to effect the change I have mentioned. Broken workshop machines should be replaced promptly. If not done, that affects everything you are doing, even the participation by offenders.”
“People who’ve been in our facilities must be positively influenced. And the positivity should be reflected even among officers. These ought not to be centres where cultures other than empowerment flourish or are allowed to flourish. The programmes offered by Department of Correctional Services (DCS) should be enough to skill and change offender behaviour.”
The committee observed that employers have trust issues about employing released offenders. “So, we are saying to South Africans, let’s all be part of the change and where possible, give these offenders a second chance in life. DCS would have acted on sound advice before releasing them,” said Ramolobeng.
She also noted that despite various challenges, including vacancies, the committee’s oversight visit in Oudtshoorn was an overwhelming success.
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
