Inmates show development on sports field

Some Paradise residents were up in arms on Thursday when prisoners from the region took to the Paradise A-Sports Grounds.

The sports grounds were the venue of the annual prison sports day. Event organiser and regional head for development and care in the Department of Correctional Services, Jabu Chonco, explained the purpose of the event was to encourage prisoners under the age of 25, to keep a clean act, and strive towards effective rehabilitation.

“We are celebrating Youth Month, and in this manner, we are working to rehabilitating our inmates through sports and development,” she explained.

The sports day catered for both men and women prisoners from, inter alia, Ekuseni Youth Prison, Durban Youth Prison and the women’s prisons of New Hanover, Eshowe and Kokstad.

Altogether, 13 prisons were represented on the field.

The men were from seven of the prisons while the women represented six prisons.

“From here, teams will be chosen to represent the region at a provincial level,” said Ms Chonco. Sportsmen took to the soccer fields, while the women enjoyed netball.

Ms Chonco reassured residents who were apprehensive about ‘criminals’ right on their doorstep that there was a strong security complement.

“Firstly, the groups who are here at the moment are all our well-behaved inmates; they are not the hardcore, hardened criminals people are thinking about,” she said.

“We give people second chances. Residents should too. Especially with inmates like these, where we want them to engage with the people around them.”