Sunday, 11 May 2025

VIDEO CALLS FOR PRISONERS

In a groundbreaking development, the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) has introduced secure video calls for inmates and relatives who cannot physically visit correctional facilities and inmates at the Khami Prison Complex.

The prison complex has five units; namely Khami Maximum Prison, Khami Medium Prison, Khami Remand, Khami Workshop and Mlondolozi, which houses female inmates and mental patients.

The video calls technology was tried out during the recent ZPCS family week, which ran for seven days and allowed relatives in faraway places to interact with inmates in the comfort of their various locations, including those in the Diaspora.

“For all inmates to enjoy the family week and interact with their loved ones, regardless of distance, we introduced a secure virtual interaction system that allows relatives who cannot travel to Khami Prison to communicate with inmates via secure video calls,” ZPCS Officer Commanding Bulawayo Prisons, Commissioner Mkhulunyelwa Ngwenya, said.

“We have inmates whose relatives are based overseas, as is the case with some inmates from Brazil and other countries who are serving time at Khami Prison for various crimes such as drug trafficking.

“Their relatives were able to interact with the inmates using secure video calls during this year’s ZPCS family week.”

In a first of its kind, the secure video calls system introduced by ZPCS also allowed persons living with disabilities to interact with their relatives.

“We have one inmate who is living with speech impairment who was able to communicate with his South Africa-based mother using sign language via the secure video call,” said Comm Ngwenya.

Two weeks ago, during the ZPCS Family week, inmates played a football match against a team of former Premier Soccer League players, such as Highlanders, a game meant to show love to the prisoners.

“The presence of role models such as the retired football players who came to play a match against a team made up of inmates is another way of showing love to the inmates.

 

“Such interactions with their role models give inmates hope for a future and that there is life after prison,” he added.

Comm Ngwenya emphasised the importance of programmes such as the family week that dovetail with the ZPCS mantra of rehabilitating and reintegrating inmates for life after prison.

“The programmes that we continue to introduce during the ZPCS Family Week are part of our rehabilitation thrust that allow inmates to interact with people from the outside who will give hope and encouragement to move forward to a better tomorrow when they are released from prison,” he said.

Bulawayo socialite and musician Sandra Ndebele took time off her busy schedule to interact with female inmates housed at Mlondozi Prison.

“Sandra Ndebele is a respected woman and we asked her to talk to female inmates at Mlondolozi and give them tips and words of encouragement to turn lives around when they are released from prison,” said Comm Ngwenya.

He said another ZPCS Family Week will be held from December 8 to 14.

In other countries, such as the United Kingdom, virtual interactions between inmates and relatives were introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic when travel was restricted in order to curb the spread of the virus.

Former Finance Deputy Minister Terrence Mukupe, who is serving a three-year jail term for importing fuel without paying duty, lauded the move by ZPCS to introduce secure video calls for inmates and their relatives.

“I’m fortunate that my family travels to visit me during the family week, but giving a platform for inmates to be able to communicate with their relatives virtually is an important move by the prison authorities that our loved ones should take advantage of if they cannot travel to see us,” said Mukupe. Chronicle

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