Traditional leaders are key in combating overcrowded jails – Dep Minister
The Deputy Minister of Correctional Services, Nkosi Phathekile Holomisa said traditional leaders are the custodians of the people and they are also central towards improving the lives of our people.
LIMPOPO – The Deputy Minister of Correctional Services, Nkosi Phathekile Holomisa said he is worried about the state of overcrowding in his departmental facilities and hopes that traditional leaders will play an important role in the rehabilitation of offenders to reintegrate them into their communities as soon as they are released from prison.
“We are here to say that we are open to work with traditional leaders and we want to partner with them in some programmes as part of broadening the work and impact of the institution. Traditional leaders are the custodians of the people and they are also central towards improving the lives of our people. We fully recognise you and our doors remain open for possible partnerships and collaborations in our area of work,” said Holomisa.
He said they visited Vhembe as part of appreciating the role traditional leaders play in their communities, and they want to foster partnerships with them, so that they may continue the sterling job they do to not only create service delivery, but also assist with development in their communities.
Holomisa, who was joined by the Vhembe District Mayor Dowelani Nenguda, Thulamela Mayor Sarah Rammbuda and several traditional leaders from the Vhembe region spoke on January 27 in the Vhembe council chambers as part of his department‘s engagement with traditional leaders.
Holomisa, who addressed communities in Tshikombani village on January 26 as part of his public participation programme, said there was a need to educate people about the criminal justice system and how it functions.
According to Holomisa, rehabilitation and integrating ex-offenders into communities should also be the work that the traditional leaders need to help with as the ex-offenders are from the communities ruled by traditional leaders, they are children of these communities.
Thovhele Midiyavhathu Tshivhase who represented traditional leadership said as royal leaders they appreciated the engagement held with the Correctional Services, as the duty of the department was to correct offenders breaking the law, and are communities living in the areas of traditional leaders.
Nenguda said his district was working harmoniously with traditional leaders, with the programme in which they visited various traditional councils to hear about challenges regarding services delivery.
