Correctional services visits six high-risk parolees in KaBokweni
The aims were to engage with the parolees, to establish ways to guide them as they find their way into the community, and to assist them to earn a living.
As the Department of Correctional Services’ (DCS) way of increasing visibility, supported by the KaBokweni SAPS, the community policing forum and the Khumalo Tribal Authority, a total of six high-risk parolees were recently visited during a special monitoring operation.
The operation, which is conducted quarterly, found that the ex-offenders seemed to be fitting into their respective communities in KaBokweni.
The DCS parolees’ unit manager, Cynthia Anton, said the operation was aimed at involving community safety stakeholders and intensifying the visibility for community members and families of the parolees.
“In our absence to monitor the day-to-day activities of the parolees, we expect the SAPS and others to assist and keep an eye on them. The goals we want to achieve are to create a system that will allow us to trace the absconders, and to connect with the ex-offenders and assist them to rehabilitate their lives for the better,” she said.
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Anton said the DCS engages with other departments such as home affairs and social development to assist the ex-offenders.
We have created ways to help the parolees obtain IDs to enter into the workforce and earn money, and if they face challenges to fit into the community, we have social workers who can assist.
“During this operation, we also encouraged the ex-offenders to start their own businesses and use the skills they were enriched with during their time in prison. We have an open partnership with them so they can easily communicate with us, which makes it easy for us to also invite them for projects that require their skills,” Anton said.
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She said they managed to visit all six offenders, some of whom are doing well as they uplift their livelihoods. She said the day’s activities also allowed for community engagements.
