WINTER | 2020 ISSN 2312-4393 C or K re ee ctions@WOR pi K ng D CS staff informed & inspired COVID-19 Covid-19 SPECIAL Affirms EDITION Corrections is a Noble COVID-19 Calling SPECIAL EDITION Minister Lamola launches screening campaign at Johannesburg Corrections@WORK 1 PLUS! SMOKING and COVID-19 • Inmates thank DCS Contents Winter 2020 4 Covid 19 stigmatisation of 26 Vryburg Community Corrections Correctional Services workers is shines ubuntu during lockdown irrational and demoralising 27 Inmates thank DCS for prioritising 5 STIGMATISATION due to Covid-19 their well-being during Covid-19 pandemic 28 Covid-19 confirms corrections is a 6 Minister Lamola launches noble calling screening campaign at 29 Modderbee Block 3 section takes Johannesburg Management Area lead in fighting the spread of 8 Deputy Minister Nkosi Holomisa Covid-19 19 applauds DCS staff for their 30 Appointment of more nurses dedication against the enhances fight against Covid-19 at coronavirus Zonderwater 9 UBUNTU at the centre of all that 31 Piet Retief Community Corrections we do giving back to the community 10 Commissioner Fraser on 32 Bizzah Makhate demonstrates the ground monitoring innovation in the fight against implementation of COVID-19 DCS COVID-19 National Mitigation Plan 33 George and Thembalethu 11 Families of Rooigrond officials Community Corrections go beyond commend DCS for their inclusion the call of duty in Covid-19 screening 34 Stakeholders boost offender 12 Klerksdorp screens officials as facemask project to combat surrounding communities confirm Covid-19 positive cases 35 Durban Management Area remains 13 Regional Commissioner Mbambo resolute in the fight against encouraged by Covid-19 recoveries coronavirus 14 Inspecting Judge visits 36 Kgoši Mampuru II Management Johannesburg Management Area Area gears up to ensure speedy 15 Leeuwkop officials demonstrate implementation of Covid-19 parole compassion to the homeless 37 Let’s hold hands together and 16 Mass screening and testing at find better ways to fight the Pollsmoor coronavirus, says Chief Operations 17 North West Premier visits Commissioner Rustenburg Correctional Centre 38 Back to school for Grade 12 24 18 Thohoyandou used as benchmark inmate learners at Barberton for innovation and accurate Management Area reporting 39 Psychosocial support for 19 Boksburg Management Area fights officials a vital component in the the spread of the coronavirus management of Covid-19 20 Case number 19: I tested positive for COVID-19 22 Smoking associated with adverse outcomes of Covid-19 24 Zonderwater Recreation Club donates facemasks to officials and offenders 25 Estcourt ready in the fight against Covid-19 2 Corrections@WORK EDITORIAL C o FOR SUCH A TIME rre K ctions@WORK eep ing D ff informed & CS sta inspired AS THIS ......................................................................................... Corrections@WORK is the national staff Our Department of Correctional Services (DCS) staff magazine of the Department of Correctional must be applauded for their ongoing work during Services (DCS), Republic of South Africa ......................................................................................... these challenging times. PATRON: National Commissioner, ven at the worst of times, 1 485 Covid-19 recoveries, of 457 of- Arthur Fraser ficials and 1 028 inmates, translating ......................................................................................... DCS officials go to work every day and often face to a recovery rate of 74%. The total EDITORIAL TEAM dangerous situations when number of active cases has reduced Editor in Chief: Deputy Commissioner managing inmates in cor- to 497, comprising 353 staff and 144 Communications, Logan Maistry inmates. Sub-Editors: Neliswa Mzimba and Tiyani Erectional facilities and offenders in Sambo the community. Now our staff are As DCS, we commend our staff who Writers: Regional Coordinators: adapting to the new challenge of the have worked tirelessly to keep our Communication and Management Area coronavirus by keeping our correc- country’s corrections system safe Communicators tional centres and community cor- and secure during this crisis while LAYOUT EDITOR: Nathan van den Bergh rections offices safe from the disease, also preventing the rapid spread of CONTRIBUTORS: Samantha Ramsewaki ......................................................................................... while also ensuring the smooth and Covid-19 in our correctional centres. safe running of our facilities – for We applaud the dedication, com- Published by the Department of which they must be complimented. mitment and professionalism of our Correctional Services, Private Bag X136, correctional officials throughout this Pretoria 0001. We will continue to support our na- ......................................................................................... tion’s 38 000 correctional staff, who unprecedented situation. We hope South Africans will also The opinions expressed in Corrections@ manage more than 160 000 inmates WORK are those of the authors and do not in custody in 243 correctional cen- join us in lauding our hard-working necessarily represent those of the editor tres, as well as 70 000 parolees and staff, whose good work often goes or the Department of Correctional Services. probationers in communities, across unseen by the public. The editor reserves the right to alter any the country. Through our personal and collective contribution or not to publish it. It’s been a tough few months for actions, we can continue to delay the ......................................................................................... everyone in South Africa. All sec- rate of infection across DCS. Letters can be e-mailed to: tors in society have been impacted [email protected] in some way by Covid-19. DCS staff The editor reserves the right to shorten or The power to defeat reject letters. have done a sterling job thus far in ......................................................................................... working through this global pandem- Covid-19 is in our Copyright is reserved on all material in this ic. As at 23 June 2020, DCS recorded publication. Permission has to be sought in hands! writing. Corrections@WORK 3 which includes goggles, gloves, masks and gowns, rendering care services to distressed cases and monitoring those likely to develop acute respira- tory challenges. Furthermore, we are working with the Department of Health and provinces to secure hos- pitals and healthcare centres where inmates could be transferred in case they require admissions. Within correctional facilities, we are also ramping up social distanc- ing practices. During meal times, our units or wings are divided in order to avoid a concentration of inmates and officials in open spaces. The extraordinary protective and Covid-19 stigmatisation prevention measures we have put in place will, therefore, remain in of Correctional Services force to keep our staff, inmates and the broader population safe. Regular health screening will continue, and workers is irrational and we are continually improving our environmental and personal hygiene demoralising BY MINISTER RONALD LAMOLA practices. The standard practice of providing all necessary PPEs will In these extraordinary times, the simple act of continue, along with sanitisation staying home has saved lives. Yet there are those and decontamination interventions. Keeping our people safe is a priority on the front lines of the fight against Covid-19, who and we strongly reject reports that have reported for duty every day to keep our nation inmates and officials are not protect- ed against the virus. It is, however, and our people safe. a reality that as long as the virus he men and women of together for the greater good is the continues to spread in populations, Correctional Services, only way. It is, therefore, dishearten- correctional centres, along with like their counterparts ing that those on the front lines are their local communities, will remain in health, defence, po- unfairly, and without justification vulnerable. But this is the case in lice and the metro police singled out by the very communities every facet of society; Covid-19 will Thave been our vanguard in this fight. that they are serving. It is demoral- continue to spread if we don’t fol- Sadly, there have been a number ising and detrimental to the health low the rules. Attempts to associate of incidents where the Department and mental well-being of those who Covid-19 with a particular workforce of Correctional Services personnel render essential services during this are irrational and will only reverse have suffered stigma, most notably trying time. We realise that there is the gains the country has achieved in public places. The stigma varies still fear among some members of thus far. What is indisputable, is that from members of the community the public around the coronavirus. the virus stands as a clear and pre- pointing fingers at those wearing the However, such fear is irrational, sent danger to our nation, our people brown uniform, to extreme cases especially given the massive public and our way of life. All of us have a where shop owners deny corrections education campaign about the virus. role to play in preventing the spread. officials access to their outlets. This Practising good hygiene and main- When out in public observe the state of affairs is simply untenable taining social distance is key to this social distancing rules, wear a mask and cannot