Correctional Services minister on trip to visit overseas jails
CORRECTIONAL Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele is visiting prisons in Cuba, Brazil and the United States to develop best practice models, his office said yesterday.
Ndebele, accompanied by the national commissioner of his department, Tom Moyane, were in Havana, Cuba, on Monday and yesterday to study and observe prison facilities, spokesman Logan Maistry said in a statement.
"Without losing its rigour and discipline, the Cuban authorities have acknowledged that the Cuban penal system no longer relies on the simple 'behind bars' mentality, but they have exploited the advantages of offering dozens of courses at different educational levels," he said.
More than 95% of Cuban prisoners would have learnt at least one skill by the time they are released, and 51% earn an educational qualification. During their jail terms, inmates also rebuild state buildings such as schools and hospitals.
Last week, Ndebele met director general Augusto Eduardo de Souza Rossini of the Brazilian penitentiary department where that country's programmes on reducing prison time through labour and reading were discussed.
"In Brazil, prisons are offering an interesting option to select prisoners: [they] read and write essays on works of literature, philosophy and science to reduce sentences by four days for every book completed," Maistry said.
In one year prisoners can cut down a maximum of 48 days off their prison sentences.
After Cuba, Ndebele and Moyane fly to New York.
Most Popular
-
No Viewed Articles yet
Comments
MorenaWaPolelo
Sbuda n Tatane is a good intiative what your are trieng to do and good luck, the jail birds would love to earn their release from prison but I personaly would never trust a former inmate let alone knowingly hire one regardless of their Degrees or PHD. Go spend our money in New York and that communist country and return home to convince us if the programme.Report Abuse
Pointman
He is on a joyride at our expense. Brazil is where they have horrendous prison riots every few years where hundreds die and Cuba has not been able to paint public buildings in years because of no funds. Nothing to learn. The only thing he will come away with is visions of the substantial b ums in unsubstantial thongs on Ipanema beach.Report Abuse
!!Sinudeity!!
A nice holidays overseas at the cost of tax payer money, to supposedly garner informtion that you could have just googled.Report Abuse
RobinH
Ag why bother. The bulk of the prison population shouldn't be there, as they are awaiting trial, and those found guilty of serious offenses either simply escape from court cells, or get out on early parole. When's the carnival in Rio, is a questio n that immediately springs to mind. Isn't it usually around October?Report Abuse
Dandalo
They will never come right with low qualified admin staff. Eish, Leeuwkop is filled up with Limpopo workers and it look like they hire only Limpopo people there. The HR manager is lowest qualified in Pretoria, Hatfields and seems to torment those who are qualified and been taken for granted through useless internships and that unqualified manager is also from Limpopo. There are qualified people in Limpopo if Correctional Service department belong to Limpopo people and they should be hired. BUT LEEUWKOP baba is a Limpopo Center, only Mavenda are few but Mashangane le Mapedi, jerrrr.Report Abuse
Mxaueht
Please do not get me wrong, I appricaite when our Minister go and observe how thing are done on other countrties. However, i get pissed when incompetant minister copy policies and strategies from foreign countries that are not even practical here in South Africa, considering our economic factors and population dynamics. I hope that Ndebele guy will just use his decretion and do not copy everything the brazilian do ngezigebengu zabo.Report Abuse
Tsek
On ur way back please pass Chikurubi prison and take sme advice from uncle Bob....Report Abuse
!!Sinudeity!!
Mxaueht - "However, i get pissed when incompetant minister copy policies and strategies from foreign countries that are not even practical here in South Africa"Like OBE.
Report Abuse
THEmadame2B-BBEE
the devil can deceive, damnet we place ppl in prison because they are a danger to the society, back in the ancient times they had dungeons where they even kept witches because they were a threat to the community, education won't do jack sh1et to them, they will still remain evil.......i know i had a bad experience with an ex prison inmate,Report Abuse
MommaC
Do these people not have google?Here you go Sibu, save yourself a trip and just skype Joe Arpaio. He'll tell you how it is done.
Report Abuse
Read all 17 comments