The Bizzah Makhate Management Area in the Free State and Northern Cape Region recently hosted the 15th annual Regional Funda Mzantsi Championship, a three-day celebration of reading, literacy, and rehabilitation. From 26 to 28 August 2025, 134 offenders from the seven management areas of the Free State and Northern Cape (FS&NC) region battled it out in a test of intellect and creativity, with the ultimate prize being a place at the National Championships in George, Western Cape.
Participants demonstrated their skills through impromptu reading, book reviews, debates, and the ever-popular Spelling Bee. The event was more than a contest; it was a demonstration of how literature can reshape lives and inspire transformation behind correctional centre walls.
At its core, the Funda Mzantsi initiative promotes rehabilitation by cultivating a culture of reading and literacy. It also strengthens ties between the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) and key partners, including the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, the Department of Higher Education and Training, and the Judicial Inspectorate of Correctional Services (JICS), who played a vital role as adjudicators at the championship.
For many offenders, Funda Mzantsi has been a turning point. One such participant is Kobus Swanepoel, incarcerated since 2007. Swanepoel candidly recalls how hopelessness once defined his life.
“During my early years, I engaged in illegal activities behind bars. I thought my life was over. My family had stopped visiting me, and I had nothing to look forward to,” he said.
Everything changed when he discovered the Funda Mzantsi programme.
“Funda Mzantsi is more than a competition; it is a life-changing programme that instils discipline and inspires optimism. Reading transformed my outlook and helped me build relationships with fellow inmates across different backgrounds. In 2022, I competed for the first time and won at the regional level. Sharing that victory with my family reignited our relationship, and we’ve been in contact ever since,” he explained.
Swanepoel describes Funda Mzantsi as the spark that restored his sense of purpose and reconnected him with his loved ones.
“For me, it became a platform for what I call Family Offender Dialogue (FOD). In 2023, I received my first family visit in 17 years, an unforgettable moment that gave me hope. From there, I took on the role of Funda Mzantsi ambassador, even persuading gang members to lay down their activities and pick up books,” he said proudly.
Stories like Swanepoel’s embody the true spirit of Funda Mzantsi, which has grown into a beacon of transformation within South Africa’s correctional system.
In her closing remarks, Regional Commissioner Subashini Moodley urged offenders to embrace the power of literacy in their rehabilitation journeys.
“Books help us see the light even in difficult times. Reading transforms the world and empowers us to become visionaries. Without literacy, opportunities remain out of reach. Some of you may struggle to speak up, but through writing you can share your stories. It is inspiring to see both new inmate participants and officials stepping forward as adjudicators,” she said.
Regional Commissioner Moodley also applauded the collaborative spirit of the adjudicators and reaffirmed the region’s commitment to preparing a strong team for the Nationals.
“We will support you fully. Be disciplined, be excellent ambassadors, and continue to shine the light from the Free State and Northern Cape region,” she concluded.