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Programme Director
MEC for Social Services and Poverty Alleviation Mr Marius Fransman,
The Mayor of the Swartland District Municipality Councillor AW Bredell
Acting Regional Commissioner Mr JC Roberts
Area Commissioner of the SAPS for the Boland Area Mr Ganief Daniels
Area Commissioner Malmesbury Correctional Centre Mr SA Manqele
Members of the media here present
Management and staff of Correctional Services
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

We are gathered here today to focus on youth crime and the subsequent negative consequences thereof. The drastic escalation of crime among our youth is indeed a matter of deep concern. As government, we have limited resources and means to handle this issue all on our own.

We therefore regard breaking the cycle of crime as a collective social responsibility and we have to work in this manner if we are to successfully tackle the dramatic increase in youth delinquency in our society.

The last available figures indicate that there are 3 774 children and juveniles in our prisons under the age of 18 years, and 825 of them are found in prisons in the Western Cape. As a department we believe that no child should be in prison but means of alternative sentencing should be sought so that young offenders do not evolve into hardened criminals.

That is why those who unfortunately find themselves in our custody are confined to our Youth Correctional Development Centres. Otherwise young offenders are accommodated in sections of prisons separate from other prisoners. This is why we seek the cooperation of non-governmental organisations to assist us to provide services, which meet the needs of those children who are under correction.

It is significant that this month we are celebrating Heritage Month which is when we remind ourselves of our national symbols under the theme: "Celebrating our National Symbols and National Orders".

These national symbols and national orders which identify and distinguish us as a nation are enshrined and defined in the Constitution, and are meant to engender a spirit of reconciliation, nation-building and oneness as a nation. These symbols include the national flag, the national anthem, the national coat of arms, the national bird, the national flower and others while national orders include the Orders of Mapungubwe, Baobab, Companions of OR Tambo and others. Through these symbols every South African is exalted to buy into and own the process of taking this nation from a divided past to a united and unified future.

I hope and believe that you will take time to familiarise yourselves with these symbols and orders so that you can proudly want to be associated with activities which inspire all of us to participate in their significance and in what they stand for.

As a contribution by my department to nib crime in the butt, it is our intention to institute a programme, which will assist school children like yourselves to visit our prisons so that you may have an idea of life behind bars. Your discussions with some of the inmates may persuade those of your colleagues who are planning to live a life of crime to think otherwise. It may even result in some of you assisting us in our quest to convince other members of society that crime does not pay.

As much as prison is meant for the incarceration of those who have transgressed the law and also inflicted wounds in the hearts and minds of society, we must not lose sight of the fact that these people came from the society in which you live, and will finally return to the same society. They should not be regarded as societal outcasts but should be subject to your concerns and sympathy as they are crying out for help from the very society, which failed to provide them with the basic tools for survival in life.

The responsibility of instilling moral values and standards must be taken by the basic unit of society, which is the family. The family must teach you from as early as possible that no-one was born a criminal, but everyone is a product of the family and society from which they come, and that this environment greatly influences the course of behaviour of all of its members. Families have the obligation to teach you the basic tenets of respect for property and the sanctity of life because everyone has the right to live, and no one has the right to take another person's life.

These values are absolute and there can be no debate with regard to them being applied selectively. There is no question of a chicken and egg situation as they are entrenched in our principles of moral regeneration. There is no justification for involvement in crime and individuals have to account for their actions and take full responsibility for them.

The moral regeneration principles, which I have referred to, are the basic tenets of the Moral Regeneration Movement, which was launched last year, to drive the programme of the moral renewal of South Africa. It is a partnership between all sectors of civil society and government, and draws on the various codes of conduct in different areas and serves as a moral compass. It is a reference to enable us to make a distinction between what is right and wrong in society and what constitutes good and ethical personal behaviour.

Our policy of restorative justice is meant to address aspects of personal behaviour and to ensure accountability. It is a process aimed at bringing together the offender, the victim, families and the community in looking for ways to make things right again after an offence has been committed.

I want you to familiarise yourselves with these noble principles so that you can make a contribution to the eradication of crime especially among the youth and helping to turn the tide for a safe and secure South Africa.

I am encouraged to note that the Department of Correctional Services here in Malmesbury has the project "Ithuba Lesibini", which when translated means "a second chance".

I am made to understand that "Ithuba Lesibini" has been developed by a number of staff members as well as inmates who would like to dedicate themselves to playing a meaningful role in building a partnership between juvenile offenders in custody and the youth in our community. This results-driven partnership will ultimately enable our young people to develop the skills, knowledge and ability to make a successful transition to healthy adulthood.

Your association with "Ithuba Lesibini" project is a significant contribution to our rehabilitation programmes where we aim to correct the offending behaviour of prisoners and providing them with the necessary attitudes and skills so that they may be useful law-abiding citizens upon their release from prison.

We as a department believe that people can change if they are given a second chance. Even criminals can be persuaded if the right facilities and atmosphere are at their disposal.

Today I wish to issue a challenge to all of you by stating categorically that there is in fact a second chance. You have the chance not only to boldly refuse to participate in criminal activities including the taking of drugs which will ultimately destroy your life, but you have the moral obligation to show your brothers, sisters and friends that involvement in criminal activities is not the way to go.

You will earn respect by maintaining morality in your life and upholding the principles of respect for others and their property. Your commitment to "Ithuba Lesibini" will ensure considerable progress in the development of this project and ensure that you play a meaningful role in society as a young citizen of our beautiful country.

My department has just successfully restructured and aligned itself to meet the challenges in terms of the rehabilitation and safe custody of offenders. As a department we are serious about the rehabilitation of offenders with the specific aim of reducing re-offending and to contribute significantly to the fight against crime.

Now that we as a department have established a common understanding of the concept of rehabilitation, we strive to deliver correctional services with integrity and commitment to excellence.

We view rehabilitation as the provision of a safe and appropriate environment conducive to influencing offenders to learn and adopt positive and appropriate value systems, creating a desire in them to lead productive and law-abiding lives when they are released to the community. The department has further strengthened its skills development programme to prepare prisoners for absorption into the industrial community.

Recent media reports have painted a glorious picture of our success in rehabilitation in our prisons. Last week the Mayor of Ekurhuleni, Mr Duma Nkosi, handed over bursaries worth R160 000 to 39 prisoners at Leeuwkop Prison to enable them to pursue their studies at UNISA, Technikon SA and other institutions. This follows the intervention of one of the prisoners, Mzwakhe Mbuli, who had approached potential donors to assist fellow inmates to study in such fields as Information Technology, Bachelor of Technology and others.

This week we shall be witnessing a prisoner from Pollsmoor receiving a BA degree with majors in Communication and Psychology from Unisa centre in Bellville on Wednesday this week. In view of the fact that this prisoner wishes to further his studies in psychology, he could be regarded as one of the most appropriately qualified persons to practise his profession among the prisoners as he has had first hand experience of life in prison. There are many other prisoners in other prisons who should be encouraged to take advantage of our rehabilitation programmes by studying and learning other skills which will become useful to them when they step into the outside world.

Your responsibility is to encourage the participation of the community in our rehabilitation programmes, which is crucial if the success of these programmes is to be guaranteed.

We need to get rid of the negative public perceptions about people who have offended society and try to build bridges and embrace the fact that imprisonment is by itself punishment. These people are your brothers, sisters, friends and parents. It is therefore necessary to understand that offenders need acceptance and support upon their release for their successful re-integration into the community. Your participation in "Ithuba Lesibini" project is one vehicle you can use as a link to provide a hand of encouragement to offenders who are willing to change but are afraid of rejection. This rejection by society has driven some ex-offenders back to crime and subsequently to prison.

In our Strategic Plan for the 2003/2004 to 2005/2006 financial years, we have set the foundation where every official will become a rehabilitator, every prison become a correctional centre and every offender become a nation server. We are making good progress in achieving this ideal.

In conclusion, I would like to express my gratitude to Mr Marius Fransman, the MEC for Social Services and Poverty Alleviation in the Western Cape Provincial Government, for being with us to-day to share in those issues which are of concern to the whole nation. Also to the Area Commissioner of Malmesbury, Mr Sipho Manqele, and his staff for the initiatives they have taken to ensure the success of this project and ensuring a successful completion of to-day's events.

I would also like to thank the authorities of the schools that have gathered here today for having realised the importance of this occasion and hope that in the future we shall together march on in our efforts to ensure a safe and secure country.

To the students I wish to say that I hope you will carry with you the messages that have been delivered to-day, not only as a guiding light in your own lives, but also with the aim of making the lives of others much better than they are today.

God bless South Africa. God bless you all.

I thank you.

Issued by: Ministry of Correctional Services

Source: Department of Correctional Services (http://www.dcs.gov.za)