Source: Department of Correctional Services (http://www.dcs.gov.za/)
To mark the end of Heritage Month, on Wednesday, 30 September 2009, the marketing and communications division of the University of North West earmarked offenders of Rooigrond Correctional Centre during a talent search competition.
Talents of offenders were identified in a range of various aspects from choral music, traditional dance, drama, poetry, hip hop and gumboot dancing. All these talents with the intent to rehabilitate empower and impart knowledge on the behaviour of offenders.
The talent search was conducted in the form of an arts and culture workshop. More than 260 inmates from the Rooigrond management area participated in the arts and culture workshop. This process was facilitated under the watch full eye of Mr Degenaar, the Director of Marketing and Communications at University of North West.
Correctional Services Education Manager Mr BV Nelson alluded: “we are indeed grateful to the University of North West who are setting the pace in making an enormous difference in the lives of those incarcerated, a sure sign that although offenders are imprisoned they are not forgotten by the community on the outside.