Pretoria – Offender labour is being utilised to tidy the Mzwilili Junior Primary School in Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, where the body of eight-year-old Nonjabaulo Sabela, who was brutally raped and killed, was found on 28 February 2013.
Seventeen parolees and probationers, as well as four Correctional Officials, have been assisting in cutting the grass and trees, clearing the bush and cleaning the school yard.
Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele on Saturday visited Mzwilili Junior Primary, as part of the Education Safer Schools Programme.
The Department of Correctional Services is actively participating in activities across the country to contribute towards improving the infrastructure and environment in schools. This also ensures that offenders give back to communities and demonstrate remorse for the crimes they committed against communities.
Several schools have benefitted from this programme. These include the Motheo district, where inmates from the Mangaung Correctional Centre, situated outside Bloemfontein, revamped more than 1 528 school desks in the greater Motheo district.
On 18 July 2012, Ndebele, together with offenders, gave the underprivileged 46-year-old Tsakane Primary School in Tsakane Township near Brakpan in Gauteng a makeover.
Offenders from the Boksburg Correctional Centre repaired desks, installed library shelves and burglar bars, cleaned the school yard, fixed broken classroom windows, repaired the fence, painted the school and developed a vegetable garden in order to alleviate severe infrastructural challenges at the school.
On 16 July 2012, Ndebele was in Mpumalanga where the Ezakheni Combined School received a donation of 2 178kg of five types of fresh vegetables, planted and cultivated by offenders from Piet Retief Correctional Centre; 900 grey trousers manufactured by offenders from Witbank Correctional Centre; 900 white shirts made by offenders from Mogwase Correctional Centre, several pairs of school shoes, and 834 dozen of eggs from Losperfontein Correctional Centre.
Delivering an address at the Umlazi King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday, Ndebele said: “Today, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education received the Torch of Peace from the Gauteng Department of Education. This torch is a symbol of hope.
“It reflects government’s resolve to instil a strong sense of Ubuntu, to preserve lives and to eliminate violence, crime and social ills in all their forms. The Torch of Peace also brings to mind memories of all those who have fallen victim to crime and violence.
“In particular, today, we think of eight-year-old Nonjabaulo Sabela, who was brutally raped and killed, and whose body was found near her school, Mzwilili Junior Primary School. We condemn this and other similar incidents in the strongest possible terms. Our thoughts, and prayers, are with Nonjabaulo’s family and friends.” – SAnews.gov.za
