“A healthy mind always performs better”

“As a security cluster, our work is very stressful. You cannot achieve what you want to achieve if you are not fit enough.”

Those were the words of Mr Takalani Mashamba, the area management commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services in Thohoyandou. He was speaking during the annual sports day that was held at Makhado Correctional Centre. Mashamba encouraged everyone who participated in the activities of the day.

The event also attracted officials from Kutama Sinthumule Correctional Centre and the South Africa National Defence Force (SANDF) to participate actively. “We believe that a healthy body produces a healthy mind and a healthy mind produces a healthy performance,” said special programmes manager Mr Lloyd Magau.

The officials participated in a fun walk, aerobics, river bank, tug-of-war and soccer. In the soccer competition, the SANDF beat Thohoyandou Correctional Centre 1-0. “It was a tough game, but we managed to win," said Thomas Kgabo, captain of the SANDF's team.

The winners in the fun walk were awarded medals, sponsored by Hyundai Louis Trichardt.

“You are a winner even though you did not win a medal,” said Sekopelo Ndou, head of the Makhado Correctional Centre. “Sports help to build relationships among DCS officials and the officials from our sister departments. The Department of Correctional Services has the responsibility to ensure that the officials’ well-being is taken care of.”

According to the communications intern, Thompho Nesane, the sports day had come after a clear consideration of the nature of the work executed by correctional officials on a daily basis. “Though our main mandate as a department is to rehabilitate offenders, it is crucial as a department to encourage our officials to participate in these types of activities because a healthy mind performs better,” Nesane said.

Date:08 October 2015

By: Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.

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