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By Levy Masiteng
In a display of community spirit for Youth Month, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) and Liberty joined forces to uplift learners at Umsilinga Primary School in Copesville, Pietermaritzburg.
They handed over 100 pairs of school shoes and blankets.
The department is also assisting in renovating the school and manufacturing school uniforms through its rehabilitation and community reintegration programme.
It said the donation showcased the power of collective action in advancing compassion, dignity and social solidarity.
During the event, Correctional Services Commissioner Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale said that every child deserved to be treated with dignity and compassion, and no one should suffer harm or neglect.
“These shoes and blankets may seem like simple items, but for many of these children, they represent so much more,” he said.
“A new pair of shoes can restore dignity, build confidence and allow a child to walk to school with pride.”
Liberty’s head of sales in the province, Sihle Mnguni, said the initiative was part of Liberty’s Winter Shoe Drive, which was an employee volunteerism programme launched in 2017.
Through staff pledges and contributions, Liberty has donated over 100,000 pairs of school shoes to learners nationwide, reinforcing the values of Ubuntu and corporate social responsibility.
The event featured a powerful testimony from parolee Andile Paul Mthethwa who turned his life around through the support of Correctional Services.
Mthethwa’s story served as a reminder that education was key to breaking the cycle of crime and that rehabilitation was possible with the right support.
“I was first sentenced at 16 and my last stint behind bars led to my release at 33. I now live to show that change is possible. Education is the way out. Crime only takes away your future,” he said.
Liberty is also involved in other community upliftment initiatives.
They include donations of educational resources to underprivileged schools, supporting economic development projects in rural areas and providing disaster relief aid to affected communities.
The DCS has also been involved in various community outreach programmes such as rehabilitating offenders, education and skills development initiatives and community service projects.
They said this collaboration was a shining example of how South Africa could thrive when its institutions and people worked together, inspired by the values of care and humanity that former president Nelson Mandela stood for.
INSIDE EDUCATION