BY SIBUSISEKILE NDLANGAMANDLA
MATSAPHA– His Majesty’s Correctional Services has called on officers to speak about emotional burdens and seek support as the department responds to concerns surrounding suicide and emotional distress among its personnel.
The call was made during a prayer service held on Wednesday at the Correctional Staff College in Matsapha, where the department brought together its Executive, senior officers, officers from stations across the country and invited pastors for a day of spiritual reflection and renewal.
Speaking on behalf of the Commissioner General, Deputy Commissioner General Bongani Khumalo said officers should not suffer silently, emphasising that seeking help was not a sign of weakness. “We should not try to be strong all the time. It is okay not to be okay. Let us reach out to someone when we are going through a lot,” he said.
The message placed emotional wellbeing at the centre of the service, recognising the pressures associated with correctional work and the possibility that officers may carry personal struggles without speaking about them.
Deputy Commandant, Senior Assistant Commissioner Kenneth Dlamini, described the service as a significant moment, saying it was not merely a routine gathering but an opportunity to restore the inner person.
Khumalo encouraged officers to support one another and to be open about challenges they may be facing. He also delivered a message based on John 3:1–6 and 20 before blessing the congregation. The main Word of God was delivered by Apostle M. Khoza, who drew from 2 Chronicles 20 and encouraged officers to place their trust in God when facing overwhelming challenges.
The service also highlighted the role of collective support, bringing officers and religious leaders together in a setting where members of the service could reflect beyond their responsibilities in uniform.
The gathering concluded with Prophetess Lindiwe Maphalala offering a special prayer for the recovery and protection of Commissioner General Dlamini. The service reinforced a message of support and openness, with officers encouraged to recognise that asking for help and speaking about emotional struggles are not signs of weakness.
For a department whose officers carry responsibilities involving the care and security of people in custody, the service also highlighted the importance of caring for the wellbeing of the officers themselves.
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(Courtesy Pic)
