Over half of South Africa’s roughly 160 000 plus prisoner population are in programmes to aid their return to civilian life.
The programmes, Parliamentary questioner Janho Engelbrecht, a Democratic Alliance (DA) National Assembly (NA) public representative heard, range from life skills through to spiritual care and workplace skills.
Numbers-wise, as at 1 September Gauteng has the highest number of prisoners – 22 188 – in programmes, Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald told his questioner.
Three provinces – Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West – account for 18 236 of the 100 979 prisoners nationally in programmes. Other provincial numbers are KwaZulu-Natal (17 444), Free State and Northern Cape (14 794), Western Cape (14 184) and Eastern Cape (14 133).
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) employs 75 psychologists to “render services” that will allow released prisoners to leads “socially responsible and crime-free lives”. In similar vein DCS has at its disposal 602 social workers doing the same on a different level.
All told, psychologists, social and spiritual care workers lead 18 DCS programmes aimed at returning well-adjusted people to society once released.
DCS runs 13 non-therapeutic correctional programmes to create awareness and provide information on life skills.
Groenewald’s department has partnered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Quality Council for Trades and Occupation (QCTO), sector education and training authorities (SETAs) as well as external private sector training providers to ensure offender access to what are termed “market related development programmes” to further assist with rehabilitation.
In-house DCS educators have completed Department of Basic Education (DBE) training in examination administration, management and monitoring.
In another parliamentary reply, Groenewald elaborated further on educational opportunities for prisoners. The DCS offers pre-release programmes to offenders serving 24 months or more. Prisoners working in workshops, bakeries and farms acquire skills to contribute to their social functioning, while prisoners wishing to further their studies can leave with Grade 12 or similar qualifications.
Vocational training opportunities available within certain DCS facilities include construction, food and cooking, agriculture, textile, beauty, computer, auto mechanical, and business related programmes.
