A call to help rehabilitate ex-convicts
Ekurhuleni mayor Clr Mondli Gungubele has appealed to communities to play an active role in the rehabilitation of prison inmates.
Speaking during a recent visit to the Boksburg Prison, Gungubele stated that the government alone, through the Department of Correctional Services, cannot win this battle.
“Actually, all the hard work that the correctional services ministry is doing would be a waste of time if communities did not get involved,” he said.
“It is important to remember that offenders will eventually return to the communities they come from.
“This then means they must be accepted back.”
According to Gungubele, one of the major problems ex-offenders experience is rejection attached to the stigma of having been arrested and found guilty of a crime.
“Sadly though, the reality is that if ex-offenders are rejected by their communities and have no role to play in the social and economic activity of that community, they revert back to crime and end up behind bars again,” he said.
The mayor feels that communities and community organisations can play a meaningful role in the rehabilitation of former inmates through, among others, spiritual care, skills development and supporting them to start small businesses, so that they have hope for the future.
“Early childhood development (ECD) is very critical in our efforts to dissuade youngsters from living a life of crime; this process teaches young people self-worth, helps unearth their talents and creates self-awareness in terms of the child’s strengths,” he said, adding that the country must put a lot more emphasis on ECD.
“During our school days we used to have a class called hand work,” Gungubele recalled.
“It was during this period that we would try out different skills, arts and crafts, woodwork and sawing, among others.
“This subject helped us on our journey to self-discovery at an early age, and perhaps the country needs to think about revisiting this in our school curriculum.”
During interaction with juvenile prisoners, Gungubele encouraged them not to lose hope “for you still have a bright future ahead of you”.
“Do not look at this as the end of the world, but rather as a life lesson that you will take with you when you get a second chance out there,” he said.
Gungubele indicated that Ekurhuleni will, in the near future, engage with the prison authorities to discuss issues of common interest, especially around the economic development of inmates, who are plying different trades in the facility.
“This is important and we must put a team in place consisting of the metro and the Boksburg Prison authorities, to engage and see how best this can be done,” he said.
“This team will have to put clear terms of reference in place and help in simplifying the partnership.”
Boksburg Prison accommodates a population of 4 410 offenders, from areas including Brakpan, Tsakane, KwaThema, Vosloorus, Boksburg, Springs and others parts of Ekurhuleni.
