Official teaches offenders carpentry

When Sam Mathabathe grew up in a family where carpentry was the order of the day, little did he know that one day he would help people with carpentry. Now he is helping people who have wronged the community - offenders.

 Sam has been doing carpentry for the past 19 years and he has dedicated 11 years of his career to teach offenders. It came as no surprise when the Portfolio Committee on Corrections noticed his talent during their visit to Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre.

They were so impressed that they placed an order for Sam to do carpentry at their posh offices, and one of the people was the first citizen of the country, Pres Jacob Zuma.

When asked why he had chosen carpentry, the quiet and shy Sam had this to say: “I grew up in a carpentry family and I fell in love with the job. The good part of it is that it requires creativity, and that's what I am good at. It is challenging and I like a challenge,” he beamed. When asked about working with offenders, the cool-as-a-cucumber Sam said that he enjoyed working with offenders, since he was helping them to hone their skills, so that when their time is ripe to go back to their respective communities, they will have something to do in order to fend for themselves to avoid recidivism.

One of the offenders who is working directly with Mathabathe, Rampamba Muthianzhele, said that he enjoyed doing carpentry and he was learning every day under the leadership of Mathabathe. “I was doing the very same job before I was incarcerated for statutory rape, which I regret every day of my life. Under the guidance of Mr Mathabathe, I have gained great experience that I will utilize when I go outside”.

When asked about the role of Correctional Services in the rehabilitation of offenders, Tshifhiwa Magadani, the spokesman for Thohoyandou Correctional Centre, said: "The responsibility of Correctional Services is first and foremost to correct offending behavior in a secure and safe environment in order to facilitate the achievement of rehabilitation." He further indicated that rehabilitation is the result of a process that combines the correction of offending behavior and human development. Magadani  further said that rehabilitation should not merely be viewed as a strategy to prevent crime, but rather as a holistic phenomenon incorporating and encouraging social justice and social responsibility.

Date:14 November 2014

By: News Correspondent

Correspondent journalists from all over the region supply us with news and sport articles. 

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