By Mfanufikile Khathwane
MBABANE – His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) began the countdown to this year’s Correctional Day with a solemn prayer service on Wednesday, inviting God’s guidance and blessing over the upcoming national event.
The prayer was held at the HMCS Staff College in Matsapha, service was led by Pastor T. Hlatshwayo of Free Evangelical Assemblies and attended by Commissioner General LaMakhosini Phindile Dlamini, executive command members, senior officers, and the HMCS parade.
Correctional Day will be commemorated on Friday, June 20, 2025, under the theme “Celebrating the Transformative Power of Second Chances.” This year’s event marks a historic 30-year journey since the department’s transformation from “Prisons” to “Correctional Services” in 1995 a vision introduced by His Majesty King Mswati III.
Speaking during rehearsals aired on Eswatini TV, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Prince Simelane commended the preparations“To what I have seen, I have no doubt that attendees will be pleased.”
The Commissioner General Dlamini invited the public to witness HMCS’s journey of transformation“This is a celebration of how far we’ve come and how many lives have been transformed for the better.”
The celebration will includeincludee testimonials from former inmates, showcasing their successful reintegration, and exhibitions of inmate-made products in carpentry, tailoring, and agriculture evidence of HMCS’s rehabilitation-focused programs.
In a separate interview on the Kusile Breakfast Show, Deputy PRO Chief Officer Baphelele Kunene emphasized the day’s deeper significance“This is not just a celebration; it’s a reflection of the work we’ve done as a department and in the lives of those we have kept.”
Kunene added that initiatives such as Unit Management and upcoming reforms to the 1964 Prisons Act signal progress toward modern, humane correctional systems.
With over three decades of dedication to reform, HMCS encourages the nation to join in celebrating this powerful journey of hope, healing, and second chances.
