Times Of Swaziland: BURNING OF STRUCTURES 3RD WORLD MENTALITY - KING

BURNING OF STRUCTURES 3RD WORLD MENTALITY - KING
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Sibusiso Zwane on 16/07/2022 09:02:00


MATSAPHA – “Burning of structures is Third World mentality,” says His
Majesty King Mswati III.
The King said this during the commemoration of the 14th Correctional Services
Day, which was held at Matsapha Correctional College yesterday, where he briefly
spoke about people who burn structures. The King talked briefly about arsonists
when he was commending the Correctional Services for its effort of aligning
itself with the country’s vision of attaining First World status. He also
appreciated that Matsapha Correctional Services Centre was undergoing major
rehabilitation which would create an improved, safe and human detention
facility.
He said they hoped the new structures would enable an upgraded intervention
mechanism that would put to an end the notion that correctional centres were
breeding grounds for hardened criminals. Thereafter, His Majesty said these
development initiatives were in line with this year’s theme which puts meaning
and gives practical evidence to; ‘Modernising correctional infrastructure
towards improved interventions’.
Modernise
He said this year’s theme (Modernising correctional infrastructure towards
improved interventions) was a lesson that they as a nation should take leaf
from, because they had to modernise all their infrastructure and technology in
the country. The King said First World mentality was about modernising
infrastructure, not burning it. “Ngoba loko ku (because that is) backward,
kuyi (it is) Third World mentality,” the King said. It is worth noting that
since the June/July 2021 unrest, the country has recorded a high number of arson
attacks, which were believed to be politically motivated. The arsonists targeted
mainly infrastructure, like houses and tinkhundla centres together with
vehicles, like cars and heavy plant machinery and equipment.
Thereafter, the King said he was pleased to note that all the department’s
programmes were also in line with the theme. He said this was because he had
seen the various treatment programmes that had been brought in working on
offenders who were under their care. He said the programmes brought expected
behaviour from the offenders and that was seen when they were being reintroduced
back to their communities after being released.
He said offenders were people who had lost their footing in society and the
correctional officers’ primary duty was to support and encourage them to
abandon their criminal behaviour and embrace positive change in their lives.
Law-abiding
The King added that this would enable them to live in harmony with their
communities as law-abiding citizens and be productive. “Your success in this
endeavour will break the cycle of repeat-offending and will greatly benefit the
nation as the crime rate will subside and peace and stability will prevail,”
the king said. In terms of technological improvement, the King said they were
appreciative of the fact that the department was making inroads in the field of
information, communication and technology (ICT). He said this would ease the
workload on the ground and advance the services the department renders to its
clients and the nation at large.
He said ICT comes with numerous interventions aimed at improving the way they
conduct business and was vital in the security sector as it enhanced efficiency
and effectiveness of administrative and operational tasks. Still on the First
World mentality, which he said the people of Eswatini should have, the King said
he was equally applaudable that the uniforms which the officers were wearing,
was none other than the works of correctional services personnel. He said even
the people who were brought to their care (offenders) also contributed to the
sewing of the department’s uniform.
Brighten
The King said previously, the department used to purchase uniforms from various
vendors who were charging government enormous amounts of money. In fact, he said
he was happy offenders who were kept in the correctional facilities participated
in all the things which were produced in the centres and in the process, they
learn skills which they use to brighten their future. The King commended
correctional officers’ ability to rehabilitate and mould the lives of
offenders as it was in line with international standards and requirements. In
that regard, he said he had received a number of testimonies from various people
who were in the warm hands of correctional officers. He said one of them
recorded his testimony in a video clip and sent it to him.
Thankful
He said the ex-offender was thankful about the care he received while serving
his sentence at the correctional services facilities. In the video clip, the
King added that the ex-inmate mentioned that the officers moulded him, changed
his behaviour and treated him with exceptional care despite the bad things which
he had done. Furthermore, the King said the work of the correctional officers
did not end there, as they also took care of children who were brought for care
within their walls. He said he had heard that some of them even excelled in
their studies and did well internationally.