African Ministers of Correctional Services and Prisons will converge in South Africa on 3 to 4 April 2014 to take stock of progress made in transforming prisons and addressing a series of challenges facing the continent’s correctional and prison services.

This announcement was made by the Chairperson of African Correctional Services Association (ACSA) and South Africa’s Acting National Commissioner Nontsikelelo Jolingana at the end of a three-day session of ACSA held in Centurion, South Africa.

Commissioner Jolingana said the Ministerial Council of ACSA Champions (MinCAC) will be convened by Minister Sbusiso Ndebele. She praised the session which included a one-day Executive Committee meeting as energising and expressed hope that collaboration of African heads of correctional services and prisons will help accelerate the transformation of prisons and promote human rights.

Ms Jolingana said the 3rd Biennial Conference of ACSA to be held in Mozambique in July 2014 will help accelerate the recruitment of the outstanding countries to join the 30 member state association, strengthen collaboration and sharing of best practices and help mobilise resources for accelerated change of the continent’s prison system.

The Executive Committee meeting was attended by Heads of Correctional Services and Prisons from Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique, Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania. The next meeting is scheduled for 1 to 2 April 2014 to prepare for a meeting of Ministers scheduled for the 3 to 4 April 2014.

SOURCE: South African Official News