JMM Taljaard – 40 years in service and still counting
Tallies joined the prison service, now known as the Department of Correctional Services, at the age of 19
Bob Kay
One of the most challenging careers in the country is to be a prison warder, now known as a correctional official. Mr Taljaard has been a correctional official for 40 years, which makes him a long-serving member of correctional services at Glencoe Management Area.
Tallies, as he is known to his colleagues, joined the prison service, now known as the Department of Correctional Services, at the age of 19 in February 1977. “Working with the offenders was not easy. There were times when offenders would fight and stab each other, or even stab officials,” said Tallies.
After training at Kroonstad College, he started his career at Waterval prison situated between Newcastle and Utrecht. “There were no computers, fax or cell phones during those years,” he said. Mr Taljaard witnessed the 1994 transformation process from prison to correctional services; which led to changes such as the use of the term inmate or offenders when referring to prisoners; and the introduction of rehabilitation as the centre of the department’s operations.
“For rehabilitation to be successful, it depends on both the officials and offenders,” said Tallies. Rehabilitation of offenders is a two-way process whereby officials offer programmes to offenders, and the offenders are expected to respond by changing their ways and be good citizens. If a particular offender does not respond in the correct manner it will mean that particular offender did not want to change. To newly appointed officials Tallies says: “To be an ideal official, it means one must keep learning, attend training and deliver the best performance at all times.”
Tallies was the head of Dundee Correctional Centre from 1993 to 2013. Currently Tallies is a manager in the Area Commissioner’s office in Glencoe. Hermien Taljaard, his wife, said, “my husband is dedicated and loyal to his work. As his family, we have supported him when we had to relocate after transfers from one town to the next and when he faced difficult times at work.”
An experienced member at Dundee Correctional Centre, Mr Seleteng said: “Tallies is trustworthy, can handle tough situations and is good at training officials.”
