SADC correctional leaders advocate for rehabilitation and professional conduct

Correctional leaders across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are advocating for a shift from traditional custodial roles toward rehabilitation and skills development. During a peer-to-peer interaction workshop in Lusaka, Zambia, Commissioner General Fredrick S. S. Chilukutu urged institutions to utilize resources for agriculture, vocational training, technology, and mental health programs to prepare inmates for successful reintegration into society.

In Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) is emphasizing professional conduct and the avoidance of physical confrontation with inmates. Principal Correctional Officer Lilian Nyathi stated that officers should utilize lawful disciplinary and administrative procedures to minimize complaints to the Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission (ZICC). The ZPCS is moving toward a correctional approach aligned with the Mandela Rules to ensure human dignity and constitutional requirements are met.