Location of Provincial Office:
2 nd Floor
United Building
58 Field Street
Durban
4001

Postal Address:
PO Box 3986
Durban
4000

Tel + 27 (031) 304-2761
Fax: + 27 (031) 304-0826
E-mails: nicrokzn@wn.apc.org

Services Points

The Durban and Pietermaritzburg branches of NICRO KwaZulu-Natal were both established in 1910, the founding year of the organisation . Empangeni came into being in 1985, with the Port Shepstone office opening its doors in 2004.

NICRO KwaZulu-Natal has a staff complement of 44 permanent personnel members, comprising qualified social workers and an administration team. The organisation relies on the services of volunteers and takes on student social workers for experiential learning.

Programmes and Support Services

The organisation is characterised by its four primary service programmes: Diversion and Youth Development, Community Victim Support, Offender Reintegration and the Economic Opportunities Project. In addition to these programmes NICRO KwaZulu-Natal renders services from support centers at the Umbumbulu, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu, Inanda, Umlazi and Greytown Courts, as well as at the Ntunjambili Hospital, the Amanzimtoti and Esikhawini clinics, and in the rural community of Muden, in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.

Special Events

Each year NICRO KwaZulu-Natal eagerly looks forward to its annual Creative Arts Competition, an initiative that affords offenders serving a prison sentence in correctional facilities throughout the province the opportunity of unleashing their creativity and dealing with the harsh realities of imprisonment by expressing themselves through art. Participants harness their artistic skills and create inspired crafts and art works, which are then entered into a wide range of competition categories.

Roll of Honour

NICRO KwaZulu-Natal would like to thank the following donors for their enduring support:

• AUSAID
• Community Chest (Pietermaritzburg)
• Edna Burford Trust
• Foundation for Human Rights
• Grant-in-aid (EThekwini Municipality)
• Grant-in-aid (Umsunduzi Municipality)
• KZN Arts and Culture
• National Lottery Development Trust Fund
• Palmer Strachan Foundation
• The Department of Welfare
• The Edward Stanley Murphy Will Trust
• The Fulton Trust
• The Society of Advocates
• The Victor Daitz Foundation
• Themba Lesizwe
• Ubuntu Community Chest (Durban)
• Umhlathuze Municipality (Richard’s Bay)

Would You Consider Helping Us to Make a Difference?

Volunteers greatly assist us to increase our capacity and render more widespread, effective services. If you are able to volunteer your services or expertise, please contact our provincial office in Durban and offer your assistance, or e-mail glynis@nicrokzn.co.za or nicrokzn@wn.apc.org. To become a volunteer you should ideally have a qualification or experience in social work, child and youth care or community development interventions. In exchange for their vital support and contributions, volunteers are afforded the chance of attending workshops, training sessions and accessing self-development opportunities.

Volunteers are primarily utilised in our Diversion and Youth Development, Community Victim Support and Offender Reintegration Programmes, and are needed:

• To assist us in facilitating the life-skills component of the Youth Empowerment Scheme and Journey Programmes for young offenders;
• To mentor young people;
• As business mentors for clients with newly established micro enterprises;
• As counsellors and advisors at community victim support centres
• To provide witness and court support services;
• As community support people for those who are being released from prison; and

• To mentor former offenders.

Alternatively, any donations in cash or kind, no matter how big or small, would be deeply appreciated. We are in urgent need of:

• Hula-hoops, bean bags, soft toys, balls, balloons, storage boxes, ropes, lever arch files and DVD players for all offices rendering diversion services, as well as flip charts stands for the Durban Office;
• Cameras, television sets, video machines, photocopiers, filing cabinets, office furniture, reception chairs and desks for three Community Victim Support offices as well as a CD writer and a cellular telephone;
• A computer and printer for the Economic Opportunities Project;
• A CD writer for the Offender Reintegration Programme; and
• A large white board, a large pin board, blinds for the reception area, a reception under-counter cupboard/drawers, reception chairs and a table, desks, high back desk chairs, rectangular tables and chairs, a hot water flask, an urn, glasses and jugs, a sandwich toaster, a kettle, storeroom shelving, bookcases, cardex trays/drawers, a filing cabinet and stationery for the Pietermaritzburg Office.

A Diversion Programme Success Story

Themba Smith’s family was poverty-stricken and without any form of income. The youth, who suffered enormous abuse at the hands of his father with whom he lived, left school before completing Grade 10 and he was soon abusing cocaine and mandrax heavily. Inevitably his life took a turn for the worst and he became caught up in criminal activities. Stealing and fighting became the order of the day.

As a result of their grave concern for the young boy, members of the Newlands community referred Themba to NICRO, following which he participated in and successfully completed the Journey Programme. He has since enrolled at an adult education center to complete his studies and takes care of his father, who has full-blown Aids.

Themba attributes his new life to NICRO’s intervention, which motivated and inspired him to turn his back on crime and become a responsible young man. He has already accompanied the KwaZulu-Natal Journey Coordinator on eleven programmes and is deeply involved in supporting and encouraging other young people to turn their lives around.