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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