Over 1000 participants in the 12-month Correctional Services Learnership NQF Level 4 programme in 2022, have been permanently employed as correctional officials.

Department of Correctional Services’ National Commissioner, Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale, approved the permanent appointment of 1003 correctional officials for the 2024/25 financial year.

The move is to demonstrate “government’s foremost priority of creating opportunities for young people and supporting them to access work opportunities.”

The programme’s participants were hired as auxiliary support officials on a contractual basis and were offered permanent positions starting from 1 April 2024.

The department said 466 correctional officials were appointed in the Western Cape, 214 in KwaZulu-Natal, 107 in the Eastern Cape, 75 each in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North West, 69 in Free State and the Northern Cape, 64 in Gauteng and eight at head office. 

“These appointments will go a long way to strengthen security in correctional centres and ensure more boots on the ground. This serves as a direct response to contributing to a just, peaceful and safer South Africa through effective and humane incarceration, and the rehabilitation and social reintegration of inmates,” said Thobakgale.