Some 80 parolees and probationers from Thohoyandou Correctional Services took part in cleaning services of the Vhavenda King Toni Mphephu Ramabulana’s palace in Nzhelele last Wednesday and Thursday as part their free community services project.

The head of community corrections, Mr Farisani Malaudzi, said that the project was part of social integration of the parolees and offenders into the communities they are living in. “We are also helping in rehabilitating them, and when they are working in the communities, they are showing that they are part of the communities. It is important to give the offenders a second chance and also to provide them with temporary jobs,” said Mulaudzi.

According to Mulaudzi, part of the community service is to demonstrate to the communities that they are sorry for what they have done and that they want to be re-integrated into their communities.

Vhavenda King Toni Mphephu Ramabulana was thankful to the group and said that they were showing that they felt sorry for their offences. 

“As the leader of the Vhavenda people, I am optimistic that, when they go back to their communities, they will not commit more crime. They have to understand that crime does not pay; they have to work hard to get things alright,” he added.

One of the parolees, Mr Thomas Mulaudzi from Ha-Rabali village in Nzhelele, said they were working hard to show that they were sorry for their crimes. “We are ready to be integrated into our communities,” he added. Mulaudzi (36) was sentenced to 17 years for armed robbery and served 11 years in prison. He said he learned that crime does not pay and he can advise others that education is the key to success.