Johannesburg - Bunches of spinach grown by inmates, bottles of milk and blankets to keep the cold at bay, signaled the celebrating of a world icon as the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) came to the aid of an orphanage and a destitute home on Thursday.
Today marks former president Nelson Mandela’s 95th birthday as he remains in hospital. His birthday has been celebrated internationally since 2010 - known as Mandela Day.
The DCS on Thursday visited the Hope for the Helpless Children’s Home in Mofolo, where they handed over food donations, as well as items like microwaves to the orphanage that looks after 29 children, aged between two and 18 years. The home has recently been refurbished by inmates. It had been dilapidated and in need of refurbishment.
Until the department stepped in, the home’s other challenge had been food supply. DCS Minister Sibusiso Ndebele said the department has now taken the home under its wing and has adopted it.
The refurbishment at the home was done by inmates at the Leeuwkop Correctional Centre and the food handed over to the orphanage was also the product of the inmates.
An emotional Ethel Mabala -- who founded the home with her husband who has since passed on -- thanked the department and her community for their goodwill.
“We thank the community for all they’ve done including the food and clothes donation. We also thank Minister Sibusiso Ndebele,” she said in Zulu, adding that the minister had been a godsend to the home.
The gathering at the home located in Ngweniso street had drawn a large crowd where the minister cut a ribbon to the newly refurbished home.
“We will be supporting them throughout,” he said, adding that the department has now adopted the home.
“We have adopted others in other provinces and we want to adopt more,” he said.
Themba Maseko, chairperson of Soweto ex-convicts, who helps inmates that have been released from prison to reintegrate in their communities, said that often those who are released from prison find it hard to form part of their communities and to find work due to their criminal records. “We have programmes for them,” said Maseko, who is himself a former convict. He spent nine and a half years in prison for robbery.
“We want them to participate in programmes so as to curb them from thinking of going back to a life of crime,” said Maseko.
Maseko wished the former statesman, who has been in hospital since 8 June, a speedy recovery.
“We are praying very hard for him and his family. He has done a lot for the world, not just South Africa and we do love him very much,” said Maseko.
Ndebele also handed out copies of two books -- one a poetry book written by inmates to the orphanage. The minister also spoke of the need to acknowledge efforts by offenders towards paying back their debt to society.
Ndebele thanked Mandela for leading the way in transforming prisons when he became the first democratically elected president of South Africa.
“He is a world icon [and] he continues to inspire us,” he said of Mandela.
Among those who accompanied the minister to the orphanage was Member of Parliament Aubrey Mokoena who in the apartheid years was a member of the Release Mandela Campaign.
Mokoena likened Mabala to Mother Theresa, who was known for helping the poor. He said the department had done something “unbelievable” that the community would remember for a long time to come.
Visit to a destitute home
Following the visit to the orphanage, the minister then visited a destitute home in Tladi, also in Soweto, which had been damaged in heavy storms in 2007 and 2008, leaving the house dilapidated for five years. The department has helped in the rebuilding of the home with help from two other bodies.
Deputy Minister Ngoako Ramahlodi also accompanied the minister during the visits. - SAnews.gov.za
