24 Sep 2018

Prison inmates on the verge of completing their sentences have been urged to take advantage of available opportunities to sustain their livelihoods. 

The call was made by the Department of Prison Services, Deputy Divisional Commander North, Ms Boitshepho Nfila when officiating at the inmates’ pre-release workshop in Mahalapye recently.

She encouraged them not to despair despite the negative reception some of them were likely to receive, and to make use of the training they had acquired to make a living. 

Ms Nfila said the pre-release workshop was attended by 90 inmates from the northern division under the theme: The starting point of all achievements is desire.

 She noted that the prisons department offered inmates different vocational programmes aimed at empowering them to work with their hands. 

She said inmates were offered vocational skills in carpentry, commercial agriculture and welding. 

She said the department saw it fit to collaborate with other stakeholders and orientate inmates who were on the verge of being released about available opportunities in the real world.

Ms Nfila said with the skills acquired, the ex-prisoners would be in a position to fend for themselves and deterred from committing criminal activities.   

She said it would not be easy to continue with life after incarceration and urged them to stay focused against all odds and take their lives to desired destinations. 

Ms Nfila also advised inmates to be responsible citizens and to abide by the laws of the country. She also urged them to avoid engaging in any activity with the possibility of tempting them to commit crime.  

She told the inmates that it was crucial to nurture their spirituality, adding that a person who was strong spiritually would be able to withstand life’s challenges.

In his welcome remarks, Mahalapye State Prison Commanding Officer, Senior Superintendent Shakani Thani said the workshop was to update inmates of the changes that they were anticipated to face in society. 

Supt Thani noted that with the rehabilitation programme, the inmates were empowered to be at par with the changing world, adding that it would take desire and dedication to survive. 

He applauded different stakeholders for collaborating with the prisons department in making the rehabilitation process a success.

In her presentation, a psychologist with the Prisons Department, Ms Canna Phuduhudu encouraged the inmates to be prepared for mixed reactions from society, as they were likely to face intolerance and be branded according to their previous criminal acts.  

She urged them to stay calm and learn to control their tempers, urging them to “understand who you are and avoid temptations, prove to them that you are a changed individual with the mentality to make a positive contribution to society.”

Ms Phuduhudu also encouraged the inmates to have empathy and to understand that some of the people who were victims of their wrongdoing were still hurt and might not want to associate with them while others would take long to heal and even forgive.

Ms Oarabile Kagiso, a youth officer at the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development urged the inmates to utilise government programmes like the youth development fund to continue what they had leant through the rehabilitation programme. 

She said constituency tournaments would also offer those with interest in sports an opportunity to showcase their skills and interact with other members of society. 

One of the inmates stated that it would be vital for them to reconcile with family members, those who were hurt by their wrong doing and the community. 

He said even after serving time for their crimes, they were still left with a huge task of asking for forgiveness from their victims and society. 

“We must also work hard to gain trust and support from our families,” he said. ENDS