NICRO Annual Report 20002-2003

Leonard Ramatlakane, MEC for Community Safety and Alastair Papps, Chairperson of the NICRO UK Trust

The national winners were announced in Cape Town on Friday, 21 February at the Bay Hotel in Camps Bay. In his keynote address, MEC for Community Safety, Leonard Ramatlakane paid tribute to NICRO for its pivotal efforts to eradicate crime. He emphasised the importance of government, civil society and communities working in partnership to make South Africa safe, especially for women and children. “Together we can’t fail”, Ramatlakane said. “NICRO, your contribution is noticeable … tomorrow will be better than today because of organisations such as yours”.

Community Safety Awards were given to extraordinary people or individuals representing groups working in the field of victim empowerment, small business development, offender reintegration and youth development.

Winners of 2002:

Group of volunteers - Bethlehem Witness Support Centre (Mojalefe Meria accepted the award on behalf of the group) Community Victim Support Category The award was presented to five volunteers from the Witness Support Centre located at the Magistrate’s Court in Bethlehem, Free State. After the resignation of their supervisor these remarkable people single-handedly continued to counsel, provide emotional support and information, encourage and empower witnesses and victims of crime and violence. Thanks to their tireless efforts many local people now share their aspirations for change and their desire for a safer community. They were honored for being dedicated and true community champions.

Ann Skelton Diversion and Youth Development Category The national co-ordinator of the Child Justice Project, has worked as a human rights lawyer for 14 years. She particularly impressed the judges with her unrelenting fight for children’s rights and her efforts to alleviate the plight of children in prisons. In the early 1990’s Skelton was at the forefront of non-governmental efforts to transform South Africa’s juvenile justice system. Since 1995 she has worked closely with government to bring about more effective legislation for children accused of crimes. In accepting her award Skelton said she would be giving the prize money to a young former offender, who has stayed crime free despite not being able to find a job, for his university studies.

Readucate Trust Offender Reintegration Category This award was given to the Gauteng-based Readucate Trust for its outstanding work in teaching juvenile and adult prisoners literacy skills. Well over a 100 offenders from Krugersdorp, Boksburg, Leeuwkop, Colesberg, Kimberley and Upington prisons have mastered reading, writing, spelling, comprehension an communication skills. They have also been trained to study more effectively. On accepting the award on behalf of her team, Founder and Trustee Edna Freinkel said that “ NICRO is an organization of such stature that to be a part of it is a singular honour”.

Mrs Morolong Economic Opportunities Programme Category Mrs Morolong, proud owner of Masinxibe Ezakwabantu (Let’s wear the Cultural Ones) and manufacturer of traditional wear and curios, received this award for the significant growth her business has shown. As her micro enterprise expands Morolong will play an important role in alleviating poverty and crime in East London by creating jobs and teaching skills that will make others self-sufficient. “Everybody has a talent but needs to be given the skills and groomed to make the most of their abilities. NICRO looked after me and showed me how”, Morolong said in her acceptance speech. “Members of the community must join hands with the government and organizations like NICRO to fight crime”, she added.

Melanie Streicher – Lambano Sanctuary Special Category The Special Category award winner was Melanie Streicher, the founder of Lambano Sanctuary for orphaned or abandoned babies. Prior to opening this special home in May 2001 Streicher discovered that most facilities caring for homeless babies focused on placing them in adopted families and were ill-equipped to care for little ones infected by the HIV/AIDS virus on a long-term basis. Babies who test positive at birth do not necessarily remain so and Streicher was tremendously concerned that many homeless babies were not being retested because of the high cost involved. They are assumed to be infected by the deadly virus and are treated as such. Lambano accepts all babies, especially those who are thought to be HIV+ and has them retested. Adoptive homes are sought for those who are given a clean bill of health while HIV+ babies will remain in care for the duration of their lives. Within 18 months of opening Lambano, she has nurtured and cared for 40 babies, of whom 32 were initially thought to be HIV+. Thanks to Streicher’s remarkable efforts and commitments to the plight of children, all the little ones in her care are given a second chance in life.

The Creative Arts Award for Prison Art competition affords sentenced offenders throughout South Africa a unique opportunity to unlock their creativity and deal constructively with the harsh realities of imprisonment by expressing themselves through art.

Guest Speaker Albie Sachs at the opening of the Prison Art Exhibition.

Although the competition culminated in the announcement of the winners at NICRO’s awards dinner, it got underwaymany months earlier when prisoners began painting, writing, weaving and crafting their artworks.

Those fortunate enough to visit the Prison Art Exhibition, which opened at Cape Town’s South African Tourism Gallery on February 5, were astounded by the excellence and beauty of the works on display. Justice Albie Sachs, guest speaker at the opening, told how he had passed by the gallery without realising that he had arrived at the venue. He was expecting to find dark and sombre exhibits depicting hopelessness and gloom; instead he found vibrant color and optimism abounding! The quality of the entries, which more than hold their own by international standards, made the task of the judges a very difficult one.

Victor Shange, an ex-prisoner from Umzinto in KwaZulu-Natal who scooped the Creative Arts Award in the painting category, was delighted that he was able to attend the gala dinner and receive his award in person. Shange, who also carried off this prize in 2001, began painting as a child. But it was only in prison that he was afforded the chance of honing his artistic skills and exhibiting his artworks, thanks to NICRO.

“I would like to thank NICRO for the opportunity to be able to show my art to the people of South Africa and overseas. It was a great moment in my life when I heard that one of my artworks was auctioned at a NICRO event in London last year. My wishes are for NICRO to be able to do the same for other people as well”, Shange said. He plans on using his special gift to secure a brighter future for himself and his family.