EX-OFFENDER Eliot Thuli, popularly known as Reason, held a programme that focused on empowering ex-offenders and parolees through his organisation, The Ravenson Mission.
The programme at Protea Glen Hall in Soweto on Thursday, 5 October, saw parolees and ex-offenders have hope for the future. Reason told Daily Sun that the reason behind this event is to make social integration.
“When paroles and ex-offenders come back to their community, they're mostly not welcomed, and the government doesn’t give them any job opportunity; any job opportunity advertised by the government always states that an applicant shouldn't have a criminal record,” Eliot said.
He said as an ex-offender, he has seen his fellow brothers and sisters being neglected. In contrast, they have skills that they learnt while in prison and once they're released, they don't know what to do since doors of employment are normally shut to their face and, therefore, end up going back to the streets of crime.
An ex-offender, Skhumbuzo Mdluli, who is now on parole after being arrested for hijacking, armed robbery, and housebreaking, told Daily Sun that he was released based on his good behaviour. Programmes such as this opened his eyes and broadened his thinking that there is more to life than being a thief.
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“This programme has taught me about business opportunities that are out there for us ex-offenders because once we're released from prison, it's possible that one can go back to their old ways. I was a very troublesome person and wasn't wanted by the community. My ways led to my arrest, but now I can make a better life decision,” said Skhumbuzo.
He advised that young people should refrain from hanging out with the wrong group of people and committing crimes.
Acting community liaison officer from the Krugersdorp Community Corrections, Lorraine Ntuli, told Daily Sun that it is her role to ensure that the parolees are safely re-integrated into society.
“We have parolees and ex-convicts who are breadwinners, so it's important that they're informed about the doors they can knock on concerning employment,” she said.
Ntuli said that parolees and ex-convicts are part of the community, and community members can assist where possible because these people have skills that they learned in prison.
