Date: 17/10/2003
Source: Ministry of Correctional Services
Title: Skosana: Ekuseni Youth Development Centre
SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, MR BEN M SKOSANA, MP, AT THE MINISTERIAL IMBIZO OUTREACH PROGRAMME, Ekuseni Youth Development Centre, Friday, 17 October 2003
Programme Director
The Mayor of Newcastle, Rev Dlamini
Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Linda Mti
Management and Staff of Correctional Services
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Our presence here today is in fulfilment of a call by the President for greater interaction between the government and the people so that the people acquire a greater knowledge about the services, which government is able to provide.
As government we have decided to go to the people by embarking on a process of identifying stakeholders and interest groups that we must reach in line with our core business. We are not waiting for these groups to come to us, but we are reaching out to build true partnerships.
It is for this reason that we thought it opportune to be here today, so that we can interact with stakeholders such as yourselves and deliberate on issues of concern, as well as to chart the path for future cooperation.
Through this Imbizo Outreach programme the public is given the opportunity to hear directly from government what is being done to implement programmes meant to make a better life for all. It gives government a chance to listen to your concerns and suggestions on how to overcome problems and speed up implementation. This will hopefully help to build a partnership of government and the people in fulfilment of the current theme of "Building a people's contract for Growth and Development".
Building a people's contract for growth and development means contributing to a growing economy that expands economic opportunities and skills development to help reduce unemployment.
It will be recalled that the establishment of the Ekuseni Youth Development Centre here in Newcastle was initiated by my predecessor, Dr Sipo Mzimela, in 1995 following a concern by former President Nelson Mandela that conditions in South African prisons were not conducive to the transformation and development of young offenders.
The Board of Management under the chairmanship of the Minister proceeded to seek the assistance of the private sector for their contribution to the alleviation of the plight of the youth in our prisons.
The project was managed by the Board over two years as a pilot project, and it became a benchmark for other youth centres, whereafter the department would take full responsibility.
The Ekuseni Youth Development Centre adopted as its mission "The provision of a compassionate, resourceful and responsible environment for young convicted persons to maximise their psychological, physical, emotional and interpersonal potential, to prepare each individual for successful reintegration into society".
We are saying that the youth of this country deserve to be given equal social, economic and educational opportunities to better their lives and circumstances, and young offenders should be assisted to join the mainstream so that they too may be afforded the chance to realise their dreams.
As a department we are serious about the rehabilitation of offenders especially young offenders with the specific aim of reducing re-offending and to contribute significantly to the fight against crime.
It is obvious that the implementation of our programmes can only have the desired effect in appropriate surroundings. The serious state of disrepair of the buildings at this centre is of major concern to the department and the department has decided to take action as a result. I am informed that under the department's Repair and Maintenance Programme, the contractor will be on site to begin work on Thursday, 1 April 2004.
After the repair and maintenance work, I hope that a conducive atmosphere will have been created, promoting a spirit of enthusiasm about the studies that are being offered at this centre.
Now that as a department we have established a common understanding of the concept of rehabilitation, we strive to deliver correctional services with integrity and commitment to excellence.
We view rehabilitation as the provision of a safe and appropriate environment conducive to influencing offenders to learn and adopt positive and appropriate value systems, creating a desire in them to lead productive and law-abiding lives when they are released to the community. The department has further strengthened its skills development programme to prepare prisoners for absorption into the industrial community.
We further promote rehabilitation through the implementation of our poverty alleviation programme, which we launched last year. It found further expression when the department decided to deploy the services of prisoners at Mutshalingana Primary School in Thohoyandou to build three classrooms and improve the water reticulation system.
About twenty prisoners, trained and guided by our personnel, took part in the construction exercise and they themselves benefited as they managed to acquire new skills in building work, plumbing, carpentry, welding and others.
We however need to get rid of the negative public perceptions about people who have offended society and try to build bridges and embrace the fact that imprisonment is by itself punishment.
These people are your brothers, sisters, friends and parents. It is therefore necessary to understand that offenders need acceptance and support upon their release for their successful re-integration into the community.
One vehicle you can use as a means to provide a hand of encouragement to offenders who are willing to change but are afraid of rejection is to use the family as the basic community unit to accept them first, and extend this acceptance to the rest of the community. Rejection by society has driven some ex-offenders back to crime and subsequently to prison.
We should make it our collective responsibility to assist them to break the cycle of crime and help to contribute to the reduction of the high numbers of young delinquents in our society so that they can also have a hand in building a people's contract for growth and development.
The latest available figures as of 14 September 2003 indicate that there are 3795 children and juveniles in our prisons under the age of 18 years and 957 of them are found in prisons in KwaZulu-Natal.
This province has the highest number of juveniles in prison and is followed by Western Cape with 810 and Gauteng with 719. As a department we believe that no child should be in prison, but we must find ways and means of alternative sentencing so that young offenders do not turn out to be hardened criminals.
That is why those who unfortunately find themselves in our custody are confined to our Youth Correctional Development Centres, such as this one. Otherwise young offenders are accommodated in sections of prisons separate from other prisoners. This is why we seek the cooperation of non-governmental organisations to assist us to provide services, which meet the needs of those children who are under correction.
Statistics which were recently released by the Inspecting Judge, Judge Fagan indicate that 60% of our prisoners are under the age of 30 years. This imposes a greater responsibility on all of us to ensure that these people who are supposed to be part of the economic engine of this country are truly rehabilitated, as their Country needs them outside and not inside prison.
We have to provide a solid societal foundation of sound morals as well as have the capacity to encourage those who have tumbled and fallen in the pathway of life to rise again.
As much as prison is meant for the incarceration of those who have transgressed the law and also inflicted wounds in the hearts and minds of society, we must not lose sight of the fact that these people came from the society in which you live, and will finally return to the same society.
They should not be regarded as societal outcasts but should be subject to your concerns and sympathy as they are crying out for help from the very society, which failed to provide them with the basic tools for survival in life.
The responsibility of instilling moral values and standards must be taken by the basic unit of society, which is the family. The family must teach the children from as early as possible that no-one was born a criminal, but everyone is a product of the family and society from which they come, and that this environment greatly influences the course of behaviour of all of its members.
Moral regeneration principles are the basic tenets of the Moral Regeneration Movement, which was launched last year to drive the programme of the moral renewal of South Africa. It is a partnership between all sectors of civil society and government, and draws on the various codes of conduct in different areas and serves as a moral compass.
Our policy of restorative justice is meant to address aspects of personal behaviour and to ensure accountability. It is a process aimed at bringing together the offender, the victim, families and the community in looking for ways to make things right again after an offence has been committed.
I want you to familiarize yourselves with these noble principles so that you can make a contribution to the eradication of crime especially among the youth and helping to turn the tide for a safe and secure South Africa.
In conclusion, I would like to indicate that today's occasion is not necessarily to hear me speak, but it is for you to present your views, questions and comments to government.
However, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all those who contributed to making today's occasion a success.
It is specifically heartening to see members of the community here because I am sure there must be other important activities, which they had to put aside to be here.
My gratitude also extends to all our stakeholders who continue to support the education and training of the young, inmates who are accommodated at this Centre. We hope and believe that your contribution to the welfare of these inmates will be appreciated by the inmates themselves so that it can turn their lives around and make them realise that someone out there cares about them too.
Today's occasion should be a clear indication of our commitment to seek innovative approaches and comprehensive strategies to advance the cause of youth development and cement our belief that today's youth is tomorrow's nation. Bring down the wall that separate them from morality, chase away the dark shadows, which darken the steps to their dreams. These are the dreams which our department and government should assist to bring to realisation. Today's occasion should also signify our dedication to the promotion of an integrated approach to the rehabilitation of young offenders.
God bless you
I thank you
Issued by: Ministry of Correctional Services
17 October 2003
Source: Ministry of Correctional Services
Title: Skosana: Ekuseni Youth Development Centre
SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, MR BEN M SKOSANA, MP, AT THE MINISTERIAL IMBIZO OUTREACH PROGRAMME, Ekuseni Youth Development Centre, Friday, 17 October 2003
Programme Director
The Mayor of Newcastle, Rev Dlamini
Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Linda Mti
Management and Staff of Correctional Services
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Our presence here today is in fulfilment of a call by the President for greater interaction between the government and the people so that the people acquire a greater knowledge about the services, which government is able to provide.
As government we have decided to go to the people by embarking on a process of identifying stakeholders and interest groups that we must reach in line with our core business. We are not waiting for these groups to come to us, but we are reaching out to build true partnerships.
It is for this reason that we thought it opportune to be here today, so that we can interact with stakeholders such as yourselves and deliberate on issues of concern, as well as to chart the path for future cooperation.
Through this Imbizo Outreach programme the public is given the opportunity to hear directly from government what is being done to implement programmes meant to make a better life for all. It gives government a chance to listen to your concerns and suggestions on how to overcome problems and speed up implementation. This will hopefully help to build a partnership of government and the people in fulfilment of the current theme of "Building a people's contract for Growth and Development".
Building a people's contract for growth and development means contributing to a growing economy that expands economic opportunities and skills development to help reduce unemployment.
It will be recalled that the establishment of the Ekuseni Youth Development Centre here in Newcastle was initiated by my predecessor, Dr Sipo Mzimela, in 1995 following a concern by former President Nelson Mandela that conditions in South African prisons were not conducive to the transformation and development of young offenders.
The Board of Management under the chairmanship of the Minister proceeded to seek the assistance of the private sector for their contribution to the alleviation of the plight of the youth in our prisons.
The project was managed by the Board over two years as a pilot project, and it became a benchmark for other youth centres, whereafter the department would take full responsibility.
The Ekuseni Youth Development Centre adopted as its mission "The provision of a compassionate, resourceful and responsible environment for young convicted persons to maximise their psychological, physical, emotional and interpersonal potential, to prepare each individual for successful reintegration into society".
We are saying that the youth of this country deserve to be given equal social, economic and educational opportunities to better their lives and circumstances, and young offenders should be assisted to join the mainstream so that they too may be afforded the chance to realise their dreams.
As a department we are serious about the rehabilitation of offenders especially young offenders with the specific aim of reducing re-offending and to contribute significantly to the fight against crime.
It is obvious that the implementation of our programmes can only have the desired effect in appropriate surroundings. The serious state of disrepair of the buildings at this centre is of major concern to the department and the department has decided to take action as a result. I am informed that under the department's Repair and Maintenance Programme, the contractor will be on site to begin work on Thursday, 1 April 2004.
After the repair and maintenance work, I hope that a conducive atmosphere will have been created, promoting a spirit of enthusiasm about the studies that are being offered at this centre.
Now that as a department we have established a common understanding of the concept of rehabilitation, we strive to deliver correctional services with integrity and commitment to excellence.
We view rehabilitation as the provision of a safe and appropriate environment conducive to influencing offenders to learn and adopt positive and appropriate value systems, creating a desire in them to lead productive and law-abiding lives when they are released to the community. The department has further strengthened its skills development programme to prepare prisoners for absorption into the industrial community.
We further promote rehabilitation through the implementation of our poverty alleviation programme, which we launched last year. It found further expression when the department decided to deploy the services of prisoners at Mutshalingana Primary School in Thohoyandou to build three classrooms and improve the water reticulation system.
About twenty prisoners, trained and guided by our personnel, took part in the construction exercise and they themselves benefited as they managed to acquire new skills in building work, plumbing, carpentry, welding and others.
We however need to get rid of the negative public perceptions about people who have offended society and try to build bridges and embrace the fact that imprisonment is by itself punishment.
These people are your brothers, sisters, friends and parents. It is therefore necessary to understand that offenders need acceptance and support upon their release for their successful re-integration into the community.
One vehicle you can use as a means to provide a hand of encouragement to offenders who are willing to change but are afraid of rejection is to use the family as the basic community unit to accept them first, and extend this acceptance to the rest of the community. Rejection by society has driven some ex-offenders back to crime and subsequently to prison.
We should make it our collective responsibility to assist them to break the cycle of crime and help to contribute to the reduction of the high numbers of young delinquents in our society so that they can also have a hand in building a people's contract for growth and development.
The latest available figures as of 14 September 2003 indicate that there are 3795 children and juveniles in our prisons under the age of 18 years and 957 of them are found in prisons in KwaZulu-Natal.
This province has the highest number of juveniles in prison and is followed by Western Cape with 810 and Gauteng with 719. As a department we believe that no child should be in prison, but we must find ways and means of alternative sentencing so that young offenders do not turn out to be hardened criminals.
That is why those who unfortunately find themselves in our custody are confined to our Youth Correctional Development Centres, such as this one. Otherwise young offenders are accommodated in sections of prisons separate from other prisoners. This is why we seek the cooperation of non-governmental organisations to assist us to provide services, which meet the needs of those children who are under correction.
Statistics which were recently released by the Inspecting Judge, Judge Fagan indicate that 60% of our prisoners are under the age of 30 years. This imposes a greater responsibility on all of us to ensure that these people who are supposed to be part of the economic engine of this country are truly rehabilitated, as their Country needs them outside and not inside prison.
We have to provide a solid societal foundation of sound morals as well as have the capacity to encourage those who have tumbled and fallen in the pathway of life to rise again.
As much as prison is meant for the incarceration of those who have transgressed the law and also inflicted wounds in the hearts and minds of society, we must not lose sight of the fact that these people came from the society in which you live, and will finally return to the same society.
They should not be regarded as societal outcasts but should be subject to your concerns and sympathy as they are crying out for help from the very society, which failed to provide them with the basic tools for survival in life.
The responsibility of instilling moral values and standards must be taken by the basic unit of society, which is the family. The family must teach the children from as early as possible that no-one was born a criminal, but everyone is a product of the family and society from which they come, and that this environment greatly influences the course of behaviour of all of its members.
Moral regeneration principles are the basic tenets of the Moral Regeneration Movement, which was launched last year to drive the programme of the moral renewal of South Africa. It is a partnership between all sectors of civil society and government, and draws on the various codes of conduct in different areas and serves as a moral compass.
Our policy of restorative justice is meant to address aspects of personal behaviour and to ensure accountability. It is a process aimed at bringing together the offender, the victim, families and the community in looking for ways to make things right again after an offence has been committed.
I want you to familiarize yourselves with these noble principles so that you can make a contribution to the eradication of crime especially among the youth and helping to turn the tide for a safe and secure South Africa.
In conclusion, I would like to indicate that today's occasion is not necessarily to hear me speak, but it is for you to present your views, questions and comments to government.
However, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all those who contributed to making today's occasion a success.
It is specifically heartening to see members of the community here because I am sure there must be other important activities, which they had to put aside to be here.
My gratitude also extends to all our stakeholders who continue to support the education and training of the young, inmates who are accommodated at this Centre. We hope and believe that your contribution to the welfare of these inmates will be appreciated by the inmates themselves so that it can turn their lives around and make them realise that someone out there cares about them too.
Today's occasion should be a clear indication of our commitment to seek innovative approaches and comprehensive strategies to advance the cause of youth development and cement our belief that today's youth is tomorrow's nation. Bring down the wall that separate them from morality, chase away the dark shadows, which darken the steps to their dreams. These are the dreams which our department and government should assist to bring to realisation. Today's occasion should also signify our dedication to the promotion of an integrated approach to the rehabilitation of young offenders.
God bless you
I thank you
Issued by: Ministry of Correctional Services
17 October 2003
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