Pretoria - Offenders who have benefited from the special remission of sentences have been urged to make the most of the second chance they have been afforded, as the special remission of sentences programme drew to a close on Friday.
Deputy Correctional Services Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi addressed a group of offenders at the Pretoria Correctional Centre on Friday, who were among the last offenders to benefit from the special remission.
When the final batches of inmates were released on Friday, 43 789 offenders would have been released since President Jacob Zuma announced the special remission on Freedom Day on 27 April.
Speaking to the inmates shortly before their release, Ramatlhodi reminded them that society expected a lot from them and warned them against actions that would land them behind bars again.
Briefing the media, he said while the rate of re-offending among the released offenders could be considered as low, the department strongly condemned every act of criminality.
"One re-offender is one too many... As at 29 June 2012, a total of 90 inmates have been readmitted as reported by the regions. Twenty of them have been re-sentenced by different courts.
"Of the remaining 70 alleged re-offenders, 18 did not come back to our Correctional Centres from courts; two paid bail, one committed suicide whilst in custody of SAPS and 49 are now remand detainees," said Ramatlhodi.
He noted misconceptions that the remission was granted to alleviate overcrowding. This was not the motivating factor in the decision to grant remission, he stressed.
"The department, however, welcomes the reduced overcrowding rate brought about by this special remission as it will help improve the living conditions of offenders in some correctional centres and it will enable staff to improve the safety and security of inmates," said Ramatlhodi.
Despite fears expressed by some sectors on the competence of the rehabilitation, correctional and pre-release programmes, the deputy minister said his department was satisfied that the administration of the remission was a success.
"All offenders who benefitted were exposed to a pre-release programme to prepare them for their integration into society," he added.
For the first time, the department is going to extend its rehabilitation programmes to short term offenders (those with sentences are shorter than 24 months) and provide some programmes, such as vocational skills, to remand detainees.
Ramatlhodi called on the families of offenders and communities to support them, saying the rehabilitation of offenders was a societal responsibility.
"We call on all offenders who benefitted from this special remission to integrate into their communities and make the most of the second chance that they are being given to become socially responsible citizens," he added.
Ramatlhodi said there were a number of success stories from those who had benefited from the remissions, ranging from some opening their own businesses, joining drama projects, starting businesses, and being granted bursaries.
Mthuthuzeli Gontshi, one of latest offenders to benefit from the special remission, said he had learnt a number of lessons in prison. He was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in 2005 for hijacking.
"I learnt that one has to be independent, make your own decisions and choose the people you associate with," he said.
Gontshi promised to make the most the opportunity he had been given through the remission.
"It's bad in prison but while I was there I did my matric... and now I'm doing my last year of BCom Law. I've been through rehabilitation since my incarceration in 2005."
He said now that he has been released, he will be "going out and preaching the gospel".
