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In response to the Government Imbizo Programme the Minister of Correctional Services, Mr Ben M Skosana, will be joining his Cabinet Colleagues in Building A Social Contract with the people of South Africa in the creation of a secure, peaceful and stable South Africa.

Yesterday, on 1 April 2003, the Minister joined other Justice Crime Prevention and Security Cluster Ministers in the Western Cape to address issues of gang violence in the Cape Flats.

On 3 April 2003 the Minister will be joined by a member of the Limpopo Provincial Government at Tzaneen, Nkowankowa - Tivumbeni College of Education, to address the community on their involvement in the integration of released offenders, and the supervision and monitoring of parolees and probationers.

The established Community Corrections Forums as well as the local Chiefs and Magistrates will be in attendance. There will also be a ceremonial handover of a piece of land by one of the Chiefs for a joint poverty alleviation project.

The Minister's Imbizo Programme will culminate in a National Stakeholder meeting on 7 April 2003 at the Johannesburg Prison near Diepkloof in Gauteng. All partners and service providers are expected to be present at this occasion.

Inter alia, the Minister would address the direction that the Department would want to take in changing the lives and behaviour of offenders before they are released. He would share with the participants; future plans in changing the culture of Correctional Services.

In all these events, the community or public would be expected to raise their views on the functioning of the Department. This would assist in turning the tide towards a better life for all South Africans.

"The challenge we all face as South Africans is to put shoulders to the wheel to accelerate the pace of change".

Issued by the Ministry of Correctional Services

Contact: Themba Rubushe & Tšoeu Ntsane on 0833273025, 0829059749

Issued by Department of Correctional Services

2 April 2003