BY PHUMELELE GAMEDZE
MATSAPHA– Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla has made a personal donation of dignity packs worth E5 000 to inmates at Matsapha and Mawelawela Correctional Services, demonstrating her commitment to restoring hope, promoting hygiene and preserving the dignity of people in correctional facilities.
The donation, facilitated through the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, comprised essential hygiene items, including bath soaps, bath towels, toothbrushes and toothpaste. The dignity packs were officially handed over by the Secretary Director of Social Welfare, Smay Dlamini, who represented the Deputy Prime Minister during ceremonies held at both correctional centres.
Speaking through Dlamini, the Deputy Prime Minister said her compassion for inmates was shaped from an early age. She recalled growing up watching her mother faithfully pray for people serving prison sentences, an experience that instilled in her the importance of showing love, compassion and hope to those behind bars.
Dladla further shared that she was deeply moved after meeting a former inmate of Matsapha Correctional Services who recounted the painful realities faced by prisoners, particularly those who receive no support from their families. The emotional account, she said, strengthened her resolve to personally contribute towards improving the lives of inmates.
She appealed to families not to abandon their loved ones in correctional facilities, urging them to visit regularly and provide emotional and material support whenever possible.
The Deputy Prime Minister also encouraged individuals, businesses and organisations wishing to assist inmates with essential items to channel their donations through the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office or make contributions directly to correctional facilities.
Receiving the donation at Mawelawela Correctional Services, Senior Superintendent Bethwel Dlamini expressed appreciation for the gesture, saying the dignity packs would significantly improve inmates’ health, hygiene and overall wellbeing while helping preserve their dignity.
At Matsapha Correctional Services, Assistant Commissioner and Officer in Charge Jabulani Kunene also welcomed the donation, noting that inmates have many unmet needs. He said the dignity packs would go a long way in addressing some of those challenges while reminding inmates that they have not been forgotten by society.
The donation reflects the Deputy Prime Minister’s continued commitment to uplifting vulnerable members of society through practical acts of compassion, while encouraging collective responsibility in supporting the rehabilitation and wellbeing of inmates across the country.
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