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He said the previous government kept prison life secretive and offenders were isolated from society. He said the department is no longer hiding the faces behind bars because they are also part of the community. Mr Makwetla said the department needed the churches as partners to bring healing and transformation in society. “As a humane society we must have the capacity to forgive and help people to heal, not to perpetuate anger and hostility,” he said.

Deputy Minister Makwetla enjoys a dance with religious leaders during a praise song welcoming him at the Saulsville Methodist Church in Atteridgeville, Pretoria. Members of the Young Men’s Guild at the Methodist Church’s Triennial Convention who are not all youth but young at heart enjoy a dance during a moment of praise as they welcome Deputy Minister Makwetla in the house of worship.

He said if spiritual leaders can be seen next to ex-offenders campaigning against crime and at the forefront of social reintegration, it would be easier for communities to follow the lead. Although the church leaders were eager to strengthen their partnership with DCS, concerns were raised about the department’s bad reputation. Corrupt officials inside correctional centres, reoffending and ‘exaggerated privileges’ given to certain offenders were some of the issues raised.

They also requested that the department equip the church in the role of orientating ex-offenders back to society. The Methodist church proposed that their relationship with the department be officiated by a Memorandum of Understanding. It has plans to manage a halfway house as their contribution to restoring the morals of the youth and assisting with social reintegration. Mr Abner Mathabe who leads the social responsibility arm of the Methodist church said they are already involved in a number of interventions in correctional centres. The invitation to Deputy Minister Makwetla was an attempt by the church to expand its role in restoring moral values in communities.

He was speaking at the DCS Health Partners Conference held at Vanderbijlpark from Tuesday, 19 April to Thursday, 21 April. The conference was convened by the Right to Care and attended by officials from KwaZulu-Natal and Free State and Northern Cape regions. Other partners that participated in the conference were the Department of Health and TB/HIV Care (Non-Governmental Organisation).

The partnership between the department and other role players to roll out TB and HIV/AIDS treatment, nutritional and hygiene services at correctional centres is currently being implemented in KwaZulu-Natal and Free State and Northern Cape regions. Addressing the Conference, Mr Modise said a lot has been achieved since the partnership was established in 2014. The achievements are, among others, a high number of inmates screened on admission, increased number of peer educators for TB/HIV awareness, increased number of TB tracer teams for locating released patients who have stopped treatment and staff development.

He said officials should not hinder the partners from helping the department by denying them access to the correctional centres. He referred to an incident where the Right to Care officials were denied access to a correctional centre during Operation Vala. He also said the Health Care officials such as pharmacists and nurses should get resources such as laptops to enable them to function effectively. Despite the achievements already recorded, the conference discussed issues that remain a challenge, such as inmates who are untraceable after release. This is mainly caused by offenders who give wrong personal details when they enrol for treatment.

Mr Modise said this problem shows the need for a biometrics system of recording personal details. The Department of Health promised to provide health care to released inmates in the communities from which they come so that they do not stop treatment once they are released.

The officials walked from Head office to the shelter under the leadership of DC Human Resource Management, Emmanuel Khoza, and DC Integrated Employee Health and Wellness, Mollet Ngubo. The shelter accommodates about 1000 people, including refugees, disabled persons, women and children. During his address Khoza said the dwellers must remain disciplined and maintain hygiene, though they are facing challenges. He promised that the department will provide ongoing help in the form of maintenance of the building.

He encouraged them not to lose hope in life and that they are not written off as people and that God loves them. He encouraged the spirit of sharing, using a Sepedi idiom, Bana ba motho ba ngwathelana hlogo ya tšie, which loosely translated means to share the little that one has. He conveyed his gratitude to the officials, who with the little they have, dug deep into their pockets to help the needy. Amongst the recipients was Solly Gadebe, a 41-year old wheelchair bound former DCS member who hailed from Nelspruit, Mpumalanga.

Gadebe used to work at Nelspruit Community Corrections from 2008 until 2012. Gadebe said that he resigned in 2012 because of transport challenges which resulted in him always being late for work and it didn’t sit well with his supervisors. This father of four said he was looking for a job and he was willing and prayed that DCS take him back.

Mr Khoza said the department will look into Gadebe’s situation and will take it from there. “I lost everything, my company, house and car, Hazel Pienaar (58), former Chief Executive Officer of Zels Finance Company said. She was tearful when asked about the living conditions in the shelter but said she didn’t have any other place to stay. She has become a motivational speaker for homeless people around Pretoria Central.

The community of Motetema in the Elias Motsoaledi Municipality waited in anticipation to receive one of their own, Deputy Minister Thabang Makwetla on Friday, 22 July 2016. The air of expectation and warm reception that Mr Makwetla received explicitly showed that he is held in high regard by the community from which he hails.

The event, which was held at a local church just a stone’s throw from Mr Makwetla’s home, was organised to donate 36 wheelchairs to disabled and elderly citizens of Motetema. The wheelchairs were assembled by offenders. These vulnerable groups of the local community were also given blankets sewn by offenders and other people in the campaign, 67 Blankets for Mandela.

The Deputy Minister appealed to the local community to forge unity and work together to bring about the positive change they want to see in their community. He stated that, “Nelson Mandela would not have become a world renowned statesman if it was not for the solidarity of the people on the ground who also played their role in fighting and dismantling the colonial apartheid regime”. He said Madiba is a symbolic figure that epitomizes the resistance of the people against colonial rule.

The locals were ecstatic following the announcement that Polokwane Management Area has adopted a local crèche which they will assist. The Management Area has also pledged to supply the crèche with vegetables at least once a week. Mr Makwetla commended DCS officials for their selfless contributions in uplifting Motetema and many other communities across the country. He concluded by underscoring the progress that DCS and government in general has made to uplift poor and vulnerable people.

Ms Caroline Mathabatha, a recipient of the department’s generosity said, “This wheelchair and blanket showed me that we still have a government that cares for the poor, elderly and disabled people”. Ms Motlago Matau’s joy was palpable as she thanked Mr Makwetla and the department because she will finally stop using crutches to help her move around.

The commemoration of International Mandela Day is recognised and celebrated by all nations under the auspices of the United Nations (UN). On this day people around the globe dedicate 67 minutes of their time to think about social solidarity and contributing towards making humankind better. A clarion call is made to all people across racial, social and economic divides to roll-up their sleeves by committing just over an hour of their time to touch and make a positive change in the lives of the less privileged.