Durban — Freed prisoners should leave prison with a skill and not be a liability once they are released, says Ronald Lamola, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services.
Lamola said this on Tuesday when he released the matric results for inmates of Durban’s Westville Prison. He congratulated inmates across the country who did exceptionally well in their matric exams and said it should be compulsory for inmates to learn skills.
“We want them to participate whether in skills for boiler making or for bricklaying or any type of skill. We are starting immediately. Everyone must do something so that by the day they are released they have a skill,” said Lamola.
He also urged employers to hire them if they met the criteria and had a qualification and skills. He said this would help with the rehabilitation programme.
“The point we are raising is that they should not use the fact that they are ex-offenders as an excuse for them not to be employed,” he said.
Lamola said no law prevented companies from employing ex-offenders. Speaking to the inmates, he encouraged them to continue to study in higher education.
“The journey continues,” he said.
He further encouraged them to reconstruct their lives, work hard and attain distinctions.
For the first time in its history the department had registered a female school last year with the Department of Basic Education, the minister said.
He said the school is in the Johannesburg management area and it achieved a pass rate of 62.5% with 60% of the passes receiving a Bachelor’s pass.
“Our pass rate in the Department of Correctional Services for full-time learners is an impressive 93.2%.
“A total of 137 out of 147 full time candidates passed their 2023 National Senior Certificate exams,” he said.
He said the part-time registered learners and full-time learners combined scored an 84% pass rate, with 157 learners out of 187 passing.
Of these, 100 achieved Bachelor passes, 41 achieved Diploma passes and 16 achieved Higher Certificate passes, he said.
Candidates achieved 129 distinctions, which included 39 in Life Orientation, 26 in Isizulu Home Language, 13 in Business Studies, 10 in Geography, and 4 in Mathematics Literacy.
Nine schools obtained a 100% pass rate: Usethubeni Youth in KZN, Cradock in the Eastern Cape, Thuto Kitso in North West, Sicebengolwazi in KZN, Brandvlei Youth Centre in the Western Cape, Qalakabusha in KZN, Bokamoso in Limpopo, Baviaanspoort Youth Centre in Gauteng, and Ekuseni in KZN.
The top learner in the Department of Correctional Services for the 2023 National Senior Certificate Examination was Benn Mathews Christopher who obtained an average of 86.14% with six distinctions in English First Additional Language (83%), Mathematics Literacy (86%), Life Orientation (85%), Business Studies (92%), Geography (89%) and Tourism (92%).
He is from Brandvlei in the Western Cape.
The National Commissioner of Correctional Services Makgothi Thobakgale said the matric results of the inmates continued to improve over the years.
KZN Education MEC Mbali Frazer congratulated the inmates.
“This outstanding achievement is more than just a statistic; it reflects the dedication, hard work, perseverance and determination of the inmates who refused to let the past mistakes and adversity determine the rest of their lives,” she said.
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