After he was imprisoned for eight years, Mireo Sphere Madzivhe (29) of Shayandima has changed his mindset, as he is now approaching life as a poet.

Madzivhe (29) of Shayandima was arrested in 1998 after gunning down a woman who was fighting with his father. Madzivhe took his father’s service pistol and shoot a woman in the chest. She later died in the Tshilidzini Hospital. His father, Charles, is a member of the South African Police Service, stationed in Thohoyandou.

“When I arrived at the Matatshe prison, I started to think why I have done that horrible thing. I asked prison officers to provide me with a single cell where I could stay alone. While I was there, I started writing poems in Tshivenda and English.” He wrote 44 poems while he was in jail.

He said all the poems are designed to encourage people to live in harmony and tell of the bitterness he felt in jail. One of the poems, The shebeen queens kill, is all about beautiful girls who are sex workers. He said they are traps placed to kill men that are sex maniacs.

“Now I want to register at Damelin Correspondence College in order to finish my secondary classes. I blame myself for killing an innocent woman,” Madzivhe ads.

Prison Spokesperson Mrs Tshivhase said prisoners are attending to the specialised training needs of chaplains in partnership with the relevant role players. They actively work towards the rehabilitation of prisoners and probationers in multi-disciplinary teams consisting of unit managers, correctional officers, (case officers), psychologists, chaplains, social workers, educationists, nurses, medical practitioners, dentists and external service providers (non-governmental and community-based organisations) with restorative justice as the underlying approach.

“Restorative justice takes place within the context of cultural diversity and human development phases. The victim’s view is heard and the prisoner and probationer are held accountable for the deed. The family and the community also play an active role in the healing process,” she said.