Tshwane: The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) will observe Corrections Week from 22 to 28 September 2025, aiming to promote awareness and understanding of South Africa’s corrections system. This initiative emphasizes the importance of rehabilitation over punishment and highlights the crucial role of family, community, and societal involvement in the rehabilitative and social reintegration efforts implemented by DCS.
According to South African Government News Agency, Corrections Week activities will offer citizens opportunities to witness the value of education, skills development, training, spiritual care, arts and culture, life skills programmes, and community corrections in preparing offenders for life after incarceration. The department believes that transparency and accountability in these activities will encourage community participation and help de-stigmatize offenders.
Challenges in reintegrating ex-offenders into society are often rooted in misinformation, leading to fear and ostracism and potentially resulting in recidivism, the department noted. The official launch of Corrections Week is planned for Monday, 22 September, coinciding with the two-day National Summit on the Review of the SA Parole System at Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility in Tshwane. This summit aims to bring together experts and stakeholders to discuss the parole system’s successes, challenges, and potential enhancements.
The DCS highlighted significant reforms in the correctional system over the past 30 years, including the DCS Strategic Framework on Self-Sufficiency and Sustainability (SFSSS). These reforms demonstrate that offenders can be rehabilitated, strengthening the case for successful rehabilitation and social reintegration.
Additionally, this year marks the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Nelson Mandela Rules, the revised United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, which provide a blueprint for effective and humane prison management. The DCS played a significant role in renaming these rules to honor Nelson Mandela, reflecting South Africa’s commitment to transforming its correctional system.