Officer Busisiwe Koni plays a central role in keeping the Barberton prison bakery running, combining rehabilitation with daily bread production.

Koni joined the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) in September 2015 and was promoted to senior correctional officer a month later.

She has spent 10 years and 10 months managing the bakery, where she combines her experience and qualifications to ensure thousands of loaves are produced for correctional facilities in the region.

She holds a National Diploma in Food and Consumer Science, obtained in 2009, as well as an Advanced Diploma in Safety Management. Her journey to DCS began with community outreach at hospitals and correctional facilities.

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“My goal was to contribute to public safety while also helping offenders to make positive changes in their lives,” she says.

Her passion for baking developed at school, where she studied home economics and practised at home. At university, she completed her diploma and gained industry experience at Nando’s and La Terazza Restaurant.

She later worked as a food safety auditor at Qualitec, auditing and developing HACCP systems for companies including Sasko Mills, and as a food safety officer at Greenshields Bakery.

Daily production feeds thousands

A typical day at the Barberton bakery starts at 07:00. Hygiene checks are conducted for officials and the 32 offenders assigned to the bakery. Together with four officials, they mix, roll, prove, bake and pack bread.

The bakery produces about 1 750 loaves daily. Bread baked on one day feeds correctional centres in the management area the following day, ensuring the 12-cycle meal for more than 4 000 offenders is not disrupted.

Producing bread requires teamwork, co-ordination and safety. “It requires us to ensure timely production and delivery, and that the bread is safe before consumption,” she says.

Overcoming breakdowns without external supply

A major challenge is equipment breakdowns without technicians immediately available. Despite this, the bakery has supplied Barberton and other management areas in the region for more than three years without buying bread externally.

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Koni says this achievement reflects dedication and teamwork. For her, the bakery is a key part of rehabilitation, giving offenders opportunities to learn practical skills, develop discipline and take responsibility while preparing for life after release.

She hopes the public understands that correctional work is not only about security, but also rehabilitation and second chances for those seeking a better future.