Krugersdorp’s CCO scoops national award

The Krugersdorp Community Corrections Office was named best office in its region – stretching over three provinces – during the sixth National Corrections Excellence Awards recently.

The awards recognise correctional officials who go beyond the call of duty by contributing towards safety, fighting fraud and corruption, promoting partnerships, advancing community participation and advancing education in rehabilitation.

Speaking at the awards ceremony Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele encouraged officials within his department to commit themselves to life-long learning as a way to improve their skills.

“Life-long learning and reading will ensure that you [correctional officials] cultivate a positive attitude towards rehabilitation. Correctional officials are agents of change. It is these officials who have a pivotal role to play in social cohesion and nation building.

“We are turning our correctional centres into learning centres and we want offenders to read, study and work. Since April last year the number of completely illiterate inmates enrolled for literacy courses increased from 1 300 to 2 600.

“Further, the number of full-time correctional schools increased from one in 2009 to 12 in 2014,” said the minister.

He was addressing the more than 6 000 correctional officials from the country’s 243 correctional centres who submitted entries for the awards.

An independent adjudication committee adjudicated these entries from correctional centre level to area, provincial and national level. Sixty-eight finalists were selected in the various individual and team categories.

Some of South Africa’s top correctional officials and teams for 2012/13, who came first in the various categories, include:

• Good Governance Award: Theunus Frederick Bloem from Durban Medium C Correctional Centre in KwaZulu-Natal

• Batho Pele Award: Leon Lamprecht from George Correctional Centre in the Western Cape

• Masibambisane Award: Surgeon Tom from King William’s Town Correctional Centre in the Eastern Cape

• Education and Training Award: Dannyboy Pieterse from Pollsmoor Female Centre of Excellence in the Western Cape

• Public Safety Award: Hendrik Albertus van der Spuy from Community Corrections at Pietermaritzburg Management Area in KwaZulu-Natal