YOUR MAJESTY, THE INDLOVUKAZI,

YOUR MAJESTY KING ZWELITHINI,

EMAKHOSIKATI,

YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESSES, BANTFWABENKOSI

PRIME MINISTER,

CHIEF JUSTICE,

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER,

COUNCILORS,

CHIEFS,

CABINET MINISTERS,

EXCELLENCIES, MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS,

PRESIDING OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT,

REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE MANZINI REGION,

COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES AND ALL RANKS OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES,

VISITING COMMISSIONER-GENERALS OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES,

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

 

SIYANIVUSELA NONKHE BEKUNENE LAPHA E-CORRECTIONAL SERVICES COLLEGE KUMATSAPHA.

INTRODUCTION

I AM HAPPY TO JOIN YOU ALL HERE AT CORRECTIONAL SERVICES STAFF COLLEGE FOR THE DOUBLE CELEBRATIONS MARKING THE SEVENTH CORRECTIONAL SERVICES’ DAY AND PASSING-OUT PARADE OF 194 RECRUITS FOR THE YEAR 2014.

WE WELCOME THE PARENTS, SPOUSES, RELATIVES AND FRIENDS OF THE RECRUITS FOR WHOM YOU ARE HERE TO WITNESS AND CELEBRATE AN IMPORTANT DAY IN THEIR LIVES.

 

WE ARE ALSO PLEASED THAT THE KING OF THE ZULU NATION HAS FOUND TIME TO BLESS THIS AUSPICIOUS OCCASION. AMONGST US WE ALSO HAVE COMMISSIONER GENERALS OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES FROM THE CONTINENT WHOM WE WELCOME MOST HEARTILY TO THE KINGDOM OF E-SWATINI.

 

WE COMMEND THE CONTINUED CO-OPERATION AMONG YOURSELVES AS CORRECTIONS PROFESSIONALS ON THE CONTINENT.

PASSING-OUT PARADE

TODAY’S PASS-OUT PARADE MARKS THE BEGINNING OF EACH RECRUIT’S LIFE AS A FULL MEMBER OF THE SECURITY FORCES OF THE KINGDOM OF E-SWATINI.

I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU FOR HAVING SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE PERIOD OF TRAINING TOWARDS BECOMING FULLY-FLEDGED CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS.

TODAY YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED YOUR PHYSICAL PROWESS AND TALENT IN PASSING THROUGH THE INTENSELY COMPETITIVE RECRUITMENT PROCESS AND GRUELING TRAINING PROGRAMME. YOUR SPIRITED PARADE SHOWS YOUR PRIDE IN JOINING THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES.

 

EXPECTATIONS AT DUTY STATIONS

AS YOU GO OUT TO YOUR VARIOUS WORK STATIONS, PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THAT YOU HAVE A SERIOUS TASK OF IMPACTING THE HEARTS AND HEADS OF OFFENDERS SO THAT UPON THEIR RELEASE THEY ARE IN POSSESSION OF AT LEAST A CERTIFICATE AND A SKILL.

IN YOUR NEW POSTS, YOU WILL REALISE HOW COMPLEX THE JOB OF A CORRECTIONAL OFFICER IN TODAY’S SOCIETY CAN BE.

 

WHATEVER THE CHALLENGES, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU CONDUCT YOURSELVES IN A MANNER DEVOID OF IMMORAL CONDUCT, ANY FORM OF ABUSE OR EXCESS TOWARDS THE PEOPLE CHARGED UNDER YOUR CARE.

 

YOU NEED TO AVOID ALL FORMS OF CORRUPTION SINCE YOUR LINE OF DUTY COMES WITH DIFFERENT FORMS OF TEMPTATIONS.

AS YOU START WORKING, YOU MUST LEARN AND SEEK ADVICE FROM THE OFFICERS ALREADY ON THE JOB. SUCH MENTORSHIP WILL ENRICH YOUR PROFESSIONALISM AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE COUNTRY’S PROGRAMMES OF REHABILITATION AND RE-INTEGRATION OF INMATES.

 

 

 

PHYSICAL FITNESS

THE VERY NATURE OF CORRECTIONS, PLACES A VERY HIGH PREMIUM ON PHYSICAL FITNESS AND MENTAL-WELLNESS.

 

THIS CONTRIBUTES TO THE BROAD RANGE OF REHABILITATION AND RE-INTEGRATION STRATEGIES THAT FORM THE CORE BUSINESS OF CORRECTIONS.

 

YOU ARE HEREBY ENCOURAGED TO MAINTAIN YOUR PHYSICAL FITNESS SINCE IT IS A REQUISITE FOR AN IDEAL CORRECTIONAL OFFICER.

 

OATH OF SERVICE

MAY WE URGE YOU TO USE YOUR TRAINING TO SERVE THE COUNTRY AND THE NATION WITH DILIGENCE, TACT, DISCIPLINE, LOYALTY AND PROFESSIONALISM, WHILE GUIDED BY THE PRINCIPLES OF THE OATH OF SERVICE AT ALL TIMES.

YOU SHOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE ON DUTY AT EVERY MOMENT THROUGHOUT YOUR LIVES.

AS AN OFFICER YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED TO RESPOND TO ANY EMERGENCIES THAT REQUIRE YOUR SERVICES AT ALL TIMES.

 

 

CORRECTIONAL SERVICES’ DAY

THIS DAY ALSO GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT AND APPRECIATE THE VARIOUS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OFFERED BY THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES.

 

CORRECTIONS IS A PLACE OF EMPOWERMENT COMBINING THE CORRECTION OF OFFENDING BEHAVIOUR, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, PROMOTION OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND VALUES.

THE PRIORITY FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SECTOR, IS TO MAKE THE KINGDOM OF E-SWATINI A SAFER PLACE, TO FREE COMMUNITIES FROM CRIME AND THE FEAR OF CRIME.

IN ORDER TO DO THIS, THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES HAS TO PUT IN PLACE SYSTEMS TO MEASURE AND PROVE THE VALUE OF ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE PREVENTION OF CRIME, AS WE MOVE TOWARDS VISION 2022.

THE GREATER THE VALUE THAT THE PUBLIC PLACES UPON THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING, AND THE CONFIDENCE THAT IS GENERATED AS A RESULT, THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES OF SUCCEEDING IN PREPARING OFFENDERS FOR RE-INTEGRATION INTO SOCIETY.

 

NON-CUSTODIAL SANCTIONS

I URGE THE NATION NOT TO FOCUS ON THE STATUS AROUND THE PERSONALITY OF OFFENDERS AND MAINTAINING IT EVEN AFTER THEY HAVE CHANGED THEIR OFFENDING BEHAVIOUR.

I ENCOURAGE ALL TO WORK TOGETHER TO HELP THE OFFENDER RETURN TO A POSITIVE TYPE OF SOCIAL STATUS BY RE-SOCIALIZING AND HELPING THEM RESTORE THEIR SELF RESPECT.

THIS IN TURN WILL ENHANCE THEIR RESPECT FOR OTHER PEOPLE AND THEREFORE CREATE A NEW HUMAN BEING.

WE ARE ALSO PLEASED THAT THE CHURCH IN THE COUNTRY IS DOING A WONDERFUL JOB IN VISITING CORRECTION FACILITIES TO PREACH SO THAT INMATES ARE GIVEN THE WORD OF GOD AND HOPE FOR TOMORROW.

WE HAVE ALSO SEEN OFFENDERS GOING OUT TO SPEAK ABOUT THEIR PAST BEHAVIOURS TO DIFFERENT FORA SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE CAN AVOID BEING IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW. WE ENCOURAGE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES TO CONTINUE WITH THIS PROGRAMME.

 

CORRECTIONS IS A PLACE FOR EMPOWERMENT

THE FOCUS FOR CORRECTIONAL SERVICES HAS BEEN ON REFORMING, RE-ORIENTING, REHABILITATING AND EMPOWERING INMATES IN READINESS FOR THEIR SUCCESSFUL RE-ENTRY INTO THE COMMUNITIES.

 

IT IS ENCOURAGING TO SEE OFFENDERS BEING EMPOWERED THROUGH THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN DIFFERENT LIFE SKILLS SUCH AS AGRICULTURE, TAILORING, WOODWORK AND CONSTRUCTION TO MENTION BUT A FEW.

SUCH INCOME GENERATING INITIATIVES NOT ONLY PREPARE INMATES FOR RE-INTEGRATION INTO SOCIETY BUT ALSO PROVIDE SELF SUSTENANCE FOR THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY WHICH IS COMMENDABLE.

TO MAINTAIN THIS STANDARD, OFFICERS NEED TO BE WELL EQUIPPED FOR THIS TASK. THEREFORE, I URGE YOU TO DEVELOP YOURSELVES SO THAT YOU MEET THE REQUISITE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS LEVELS THAT RELATE TO YOUR EVOLVING SCOPE OF PROFESSIONAL CORRECTIONS LANDSCAPE AND PRACTICE.

 

HARMONIZATION OF THE RANKING STRUCTURE

AS A COUNTRY WE HAVE NOTED WITH APPRECIATION THE QUANTUM LEAP THAT THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES HAS TAKEN IN TERMS OF TRANSFORMING ITSELF TO A TRULY CORRECTIONS ENTITY.

THIS IS NOT ONLY IN ITS OPERATIONS BUT ALSO ITS RANKING STRUCTURE. IN ORDER FOR THE SERVICE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE NOMENCLATURE   OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN THE CONTINENT, ITS RANKING STRUCTURE HAS TO BE HARMONIZED.

IT IS TO THIS EFFECT THAT NOW THE RANK OF COMMISSIONER SHALL BE KNOWN AS COMMISSIONER GENERAL.

IT HAS BEEN DEEMED FIT TO APPOINT A SECOND DEPUTY. THE NAME OF THE NEW DEPUTY IS SIPHO DLAMINI.

IT IS ALSO BEFITTING TO INTRODUCE FOUR NEW RANKS TO THE SERVICE - THOSE OF SENIOR ASSISTANT COMMISSIONERS. THEY ARE THOKOZILE NXUMALO, ERIC MAKHATHINI, MSUSHWANA NKAMBULE AND LUKE MALINDZISA.

THIS IS LARGELY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE SCOPE OF OPERATIONS FOR THE SERVICE HAS, OVER THE YEARS, INCREASED AND HAS ALSO DIVERSIFIED.

 

CONCLUSION

IN CONCLUSION, LET ME URGE THE ENTIRE NATION TO BE MINDFUL OF THE MANY PITFALLS THAT ARE AROUND TODAY, SUCH AS – DRUGS, ALCOHOL, CRIMINALITY AND HIV/AIDS TO MENTION BUT A FEW.

THESE THINGS CAN ONLY LEAD TO YOU TAKING THE WRONG PATH IN LIFE.

LET ME NOW TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COMMEND THE INSTRUCTORS FOR A JOB WELL DONE IN TRAINING THESE RECRUITS WHO ARE NOW READY TO ASSUME THEIR DUTIES.

WE APPLAUD ALL THOSE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE PREPARATIONS FOR THIS SPLENDID OCCASION.

WE ALSO APPRECIATE ALL THE PERFORMANCES AND ITEMS THAT WERE RENDERED HERE AS THEY MADE THIS A JOYOUS AND MEMORABLE DAY.

 

DECLARATION OF NEW COOPERATIVE SOCIETY BUILDING

I AM PLEASED TO LEARN THAT THE OFFICERS HAVE FORMED A COOPERATIVE SOCIETY TO CATER FOR THEIR WELLBEING, WHICH HAS GROWN TO CONSTRUCT ITS OWN BUILDING.

 

 

 

SUCH COOPERATIVES OUGHT TO BE ENCOURAGED AS THEY ENHANCE THE LIVES OF THE OFFICERS WHILE CREATING A SPIRIT OF COOPERATION AND SUPPORT FOR ONE ANOTHER.

 

THE NAME FOR THE NEW BUILDING STRUCTURE SHALL BE CALLED EKONGENI HOUSE.

 

I NOW DECLARE ASIHLUMISANE SAVINGS AND CREDIT COOPERATIVE SOCIETY’S BUILDING OFFICIALLY OPENED.

 

COMMISSIONING OF PASSING OUT RECRUITS

IT IS NOW MY GREATEST PLEASURE TO OFFICIALLY COMMISSION THE RECRUITS TO BE OFFICERS OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES.

 

I THANK YOU. MAY THE ALMIGHTY GOD BLESS US ALL!