The Embassy of Switzerland paid the Zonderwater Correctional Services a visit on September 5 in support of rehabilitation programmes and embracing societal responsibility.
Embassy of Switzerland diplomats partnered with The African Show Coalition Institute (TASCI) and Cullinan IMFUNDISO Skills Development during their visit to the facility.
TASCI conducts workshops to empower participants as effective contributors in their communities, while Imfundiso Skills Development provides training for community in jewellery manufacturing.
“The trio’s visit was driven by a strong desire to gain a deeper understanding of the offender rehabilitation system, with the goal of bridging the support gap and reinforcing their commitment to societal responsibility,” said Mashudu Mutamba, the communications officer at Zonderwater Correctional Services.
According to Mutamba, Sibusiso Maseko, Correctional Services Regional Coordinator Education and Training underlined the value of the visit as it promotes support of offender rehabilitation process by stakeholders and community at large.
Maseko shared how families of offenders often express joy and relief when their loved ones return home rehabilitated being ready to make meaningful contributions to society.
“This relationship will greatly benefit our clients and reinforces that we are on the right path in treating corrections as a shared societal responsibility,” he remarked.
“The visitors eagerly explored various workshop components including wood and cabinet making, fit and turner, steelwork, sign writing, and spray painting, viewing the breadth of skills taught at the facility.”
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Mirko Manzoni, ambassador of Switzerland, who was accompanied by his deputy, was impressed by the skills imparted to offenders after visiting the production workshop.
“I am very happy to experience the humanity that Zonderwater bring to this uncomfortable environment where you are also dealing with overcrowding, he remarked.
“The ambassador acknowledged the challenges faced by officials during the rehabilitation process and encouraged them to take pride in their important work, motivating them to continue making a difference in offenders’ lives,” Manzoni commented.
Josias Mokobane, the acting area commissioner at Zonderwater expressed his enthusiasm, noting its potential to unlock opportunities for communities and other stakeholders to engage in the rehabilitation process.
“We are proud to share with you that we have self-sustaining service programmes for rehabilitating offenders,” Mokobane told the visitors.
Mokobane highlighted that over 400 offenders partake in educational skill programmes, workshops, trading facilities and also in offender labour in the dairy-, broiler-, beef-, vegetables-, fruits- as well as agronomy industries.
“The commissioner urged stakeholders and the community to support parolees in combating unemployment, noting that not all 157 ex-offenders who are on the community corrections database have job opportunities to provide food for their families when they leave Zonderwater,” Mutamba concluded.
