DCS shines at public service awards
An official from Pietermaritzburg Community Corrections, Mr Dennis Williams, and the
Department of Correctional Services were ranked among the best in the public service at
the inaugural National Batho Pele Excellence Awards on Thursday,14
November in Midrand.read more
Electronic Monitoring reduces costs by 66% per offender
The department presented the electronic monitoring of offenders as a viable,
alternative sentencing option to several media houses on Monday,
11 November.read more
Learner Correctional
officials graduate at Kroonstad College
Over 1000 unemployed youth graduated from the
department's learnership programme on Friday,18
October 2013 at Kroonstad in Free State/Northern Cape
(FS/NC) region.read more
Remand detainees get uniform
Scores from towns and village across the OR Tambo District
Municipality turned up at Mthatha Correctional Centre on 24 October to witness the launch
of the Testing Phase of Remand Detainee Uniform and the unveiling of the plaque of the Correctional
Supervision and Parole Board Offices.read more
Minister Opens new generation correctional centre in Brandvlei
Minister Sibusiso Ndebele opened a new generation Correctional Centre built with a
a focus on rehabilitation and reintegration unlike the old correctional centres that were
built when corrections and rehabilitations were
unheard of. read more
Women Correctional Officials hone Skills in Management
Forty-two (42) female senior correctional officials graduated from
the Emerging Management Development Programme (EMDP) and Advanced Management
Development Programme (AMDP) at a ceremony held at Kgoši Mampuru II Management
Area on Friday,11 October. Martina Ramokgopa, Belinda Venter and Nomvuyo
Tshekela passed with distinctions. The latter two obtained 83%
percent, while Ms Tshekela obtained 73%. read more..
Cultural festival lifts spirit of offenders
About 700 offendersfrom across the country descended upon the
Olive Convention Centre in Durban for two days of vibrant song and dance
in celebration of Heritage Month read more..
Ex-offenders ask for a second chance
Problems resulting from having a criminal record as a double punishment were discussed
during an ex-offender Indaba at Spirit World church in Klerksdorp,North West province,
on Wednesday, 25 September.read more ..
Graduating offenders reap fruit of their commitment
Altogether 302 offenders who Sucessfully completed various education and
skills development programmes graduated on 21 September 2013 at
Leeuwkop Management Area.read more
Minister hands over Wheelchairs assembled by offenders
Sounds of joy and pride reverberated through the skies of Guguletu and surrounding areas yesterday as
Minister Sibusiso Ndebele led his team of officials and offenders for
the donation of 20 wheelchairs to Vuk’uhambe Centre for the Disabled on 11
September.read me
New Identity Card restores dignity and identity
The Minister of Correctional Services Sibusiso Ndebele launched the new identity card for officials on Wednesday,
28 August. The last time correctional officials were issued identity cards was over 20 years ago.
And this had increased the risk of security breaches were officials had only their uniform to identify themselves.
Addressing the officials, Minister Ndebele said the policy on identity cards will certainly go a long way in minimising
security breaches, especially at our correctional centres, because of the exceptional security features which are the DNA
of these cards. He cautioned, however, that the cards in themselves cannot guarantee security for anyone, but it will be the
officials who will ensure that through these cards the department continues to improve its profile in its core business of
safe custody and rehabilitation of offenders.read me
Efforts to reduce the length of remand detention
On 1 July 2013 a new section of the Correctional Services Act sets a maximum length of detention for
courts to consider. Partner departments in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster (JCPS) will
implement this legislation that is certain to curb excessive periods of remand
detention, which is a key contributor to the severe overcrowding in remand detention
centres.read me
Grab opportunities presented to you, Commissioner tells youth
National Commissioner Tom Moyane decried the loss of youth to drugs and substance abuse at a Youth Dialogue
held at East London Correctional Centre on 27 June. The dialogue was one of the many awareness campaigns held
by the department to celebrate Youth Month, under the theme:
‘Working together for youth development and a drug free South Africa.’read me
Offenders let off steam in boxing championship
Youth offenders from all regions celebrated Youth Month in style by gauging one another’s
strength and agility at the National Offender Boxing Championship held at East London
Correctional Centre on 28 June. The championship formed part of the Youth Month celebrations.
Sixty offenders aged between 19 and 25 years participated. They made it to the national
championships after winning in their regions. In opening the derby, National Commissioner
Tom Moyane told the contenders that former President Nelson Mandela, who is now fighting
for his life in a Pretoria heart hospital, had been a boxer who also spent time
in incarceration. read me
Youth officials retrace the steps of youth of 1976
Ms Nomonde Scott has sent offenders to incarceration as a prosecutor, followed them to serve her own ten-year
sentence for dealing in drugs and came out with two law degrees, an LLB and LLM. On Thursday, 21 June she told
youth correctional officials at the Youth Month Commemoration in Durban that they should stay away from drugs and
corruption. She warned the officials that the lives of officials who are smuggling banned substances into
correctional centres will change for worse from the day that they will be caught. read me
Minister Ndebele talks tough on drug abuse
Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele warned youth (including offenders) and the
community of Kimberly on the danger of drugs to the future of the country. The Minister was
speaking at the opening of Tswelopele Correctional Centre School on Friday, 14 June which was part of the Youth Month Commemoration and the National Imbizo Focus Week (10 to 17 June). The commemoration
was held under the theme: ‘Working together for youth development and a
drug free South Africa. read me..
DCS celebrates excellence by officials
The 5th National Corrections Excellence Awards(NCEA), held on Friday, 1 March at Africa’s Eden the Limpopo province in the deep bushveld of the Ranch Resort, will go down as one of the most
memorable events on the DCS events calendar
read me..
Free State and Northern Cape keeps the medals at badminton championships
Officials from Free State and Northern Cape Region outshined competitors in the DCS badminton championships
held in Bloemfontein from 28 January to 1 February 2013. The region swooped all the medals in the men’s
singles, and clinched a bronze and gold in the women’s singles. In the double categories Free State and Northern Cape
took gold for men and women, and a bronze in the mixed gender doubles.
read more..
