A feasibility study conducted in the Rustenburg district of the North West Province showed a growing need for effective support services for the victims of crime and violence. NICRO North West introduced the Community Victim Support Programme in Tlhabane in May 2001. The launch, sponsored by South African Breweries, was attended by then mayor elect, the Honourable Thabo Mabe, as well as dignitaries from various state departments.
Initial efforts focused on running awareness campaigns, encouraging community members to reach out for help following traumatic experiences and fostering community support to reduce crime and restore social justice.

Offender Reintegration

During the year under review, 49 participants from Tlhabane, Monakato, Moruleng and Klerksdorp went through the paces of our Tough Enough Project. We also held our very first regional Creative Prison Art competition in September 2001. Five prisons participated. The provincial winners were entered for the national competition and we were thrilled that the first-prize winner for the woodwork category, Peter Moshime, was from our province.

Economic Opportunities Programme

During September 2001 we also held our first Business Awards function to acknowledge entrepreneurs for their contribution towards economic development. The winner, Mr Paul Malebane Metsing, received his prize from the Mayor of Rustenburg,
Mr Thabo Mabe at the event which we envisage to become an annual provincial event.

Diversion

As part of our outreach to young people we encouraged them to enter for the NICRO/JUTA Xpresssions competition. This competition is open to all young people in South Africa and encourage youth to write, draw or paint for a safer South Africa. The winning entries were published in a calender. We share with you an extract from the poetry written by Waseema Lauman from Rustenburg who won Regional First Prize with the poem "I cannot".

I cannot change the people
I cannot change South Africa
I cannot make them listen to me
I cannot tell them what to do
I cannot stop the criminals from doing wrong
I cannot tell the rapist to stop spreading Aids
I definitely cannot make the jailhouse empty
I cannot stop people from lying
I cannot stop inflation
I cannot stop gansterism
But I can change myself as a person
And I can change my children in the future
And show the people around me
What a better place South Africa can be

The NICRO programme taught me how
to record my monies and
talk to my clients.
Edith Khumoetsile Senna - Rustenburg

Performance

North West

Individuals

Workshops

Total

CVS
407

131

538

DIV
983

19

1002

OR
49

69

118

EOP
398

281

679

Total
1837

500

2337

Fayruz Davids

NICRO WESTERN CAPE

The past year proved both rewarding and challenging, with several new initiatives being implemented and a marked increase in the number of clients accessing NICRO Western Capes services. The Zonnebloem Cottages were sold and the provincial office was relocated to Woodstock, Cape Town. Income generated from the sale assisted with the establishment of a reserve fund. Some of the highlights of the year under review follow.

Diversion

5 788 young people in conflict with the law were channelled away from the criminal justice system into a range of Diversion options;

New developments took place in the Youth Empowerment Scheme and community members now assume responsibility for running YES programmes as volunteer facilitators;

The Journey Programme, which now includes a special mentorship programme, has been streamlined and become an extremely effective and successful means of intervention.

Offender Reintegration

Counselling and support services were rendered to 1 078 walk-in clients, the majority of whom encountered difficulties due to a lack of employment and the resultant financial burdens

The Tough Enough Programme is now operational in five prisons and has had 173 participants since its inception in October 2000

Approximately 9 576 family members used the bus service for transportation to six different prisons in the Western Cape

Community Victim Support Programme

The number of victims assisted increased by 30% to 6 206;

The vast majority of clients (84.2%) were female and almost half of the crimes committed against survivors (49.1%) involved domestic violence;

New developments included the introduction of a wilderness therapy programme for abused women;

A pilot programme aimed at the perpetrators of domestic violence, which will address this escalating problem more holistically and introduce significant preventive action, will be launched in April 2002.

Performance

Western Cape

Individuals

Workshops

Total

CVS
6206

4210

10416

DIV
2873

1396

4269

OR
1067

1012

2079

EOP
461

380

841

Total
10607

6998

17605

Page 7

Copies of this Annual Report are available from the NICRO National Office nicro@wn.apc.org