{"id":11260,"date":"2026-08-18T09:43:42","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T09:43:42","guid":{"rendered":"\/?page_id=11260"},"modified":"2026-08-18T09:43:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T09:43:43","slug":"investing-in-education-dcs-bursary-scheme-empowers-official-to-become-an-admitted-attorney","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"\/?page_id=11260","title":{"rendered":"Investing in Education: DCS Bursary Scheme Empowers Official to Become an Admitted Attorney"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) continues to invest in the professional development of its employees through its bursary scheme, enabling officials to pursue higher education and advance their careers. One such success story is that of Ms Nomaswazi Masha, a dedicated correctional official who recently achieved a significant milestone by becoming an admitted attorney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ms Masha\u2019s journey within the Department spans more than 18 years. She joined DCS on 1 September 2008 as a Contact Centre Manager. Two years later, she was transferred to the Office of the National Commissioner, where she served as an Executive Support Secretariat. Since 2019, she has been seconded to the Legal Services Directorate as an Assistant Director: Legal Administration Support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Born in Ermelo, Mpumalanga, Ms Masha is a devoted wife, mother of two and a full-time employee. Her passion for law was sparked while following a high-profile court case involving a prominent sports personality. The courtroom proceedings and legal terminology inspired her to pursue a legal career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI was fascinated by the court proceedings. It was the first time I heard the phrase \u2018My Lady\u2019. The language used in court inspired me to pursue law. For four years, I woke up at 2 a.m. every day to study, ensuring that I completed my degree in record time,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms Masha pursued an LLB degree after identifying gaps in the protection of offenders\u2019 rights while serving in her previous role as a Contact Centre Manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cI became aware of complaints relating to the infringement of offenders\u2019 rights and realised the importance of ensuring that correctional practices comply with the Constitution and relevant legislation,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She believes that respecting and upholding offenders\u2019 rights in accordance with the United Nations Nelson Mandela Rules not only promotes justice and rehabilitation but also protects the Department from unnecessary litigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cI am passionate about serving the Department with honour and integrity. I remain committed to applying the knowledge and skills I gained through my legal studies to strengthen the Department\u2019s legal and administrative functions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms Masha further expressed her commitment to giving back to the Department by sharing the knowledge and experience she has gained through her legal studies and professional journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Encouraging fellow officials to take advantage of the opportunities available through the DCS bursary scheme, she described the programme as a life-changing investment that has opened new career prospects and fostered personal growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her achievement serves as an inspiration to other officials, demonstrating the value of continuous learning and the transformative impact of education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Educational Qualifications<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Bachelor of Laws (LLB), University of South Africa (UNISA), 2015\u20132019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Legal Practice Certificate, University of South Africa (UNISA), 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Certificate in Business Management, University of South Africa (UNISA), 2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf National Diploma in Human Resources Management, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), 2000<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) continues to invest in the professional development of its employees through its bursary scheme, enabling officials to pursue higher education and advance their careers. One such success story is that of Ms Nomaswazi Masha,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2851,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11260"}],"collection":[{"href":"\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2851"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11260"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11260\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11264,"href":"\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11260\/revisions\/11264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}