Three KZN families left devastated by floods to receive homes built by convicted criminals
Three KwaZulu-Natal families will be handed the keys to their brand new homes, built by convicted criminals.
These families were left devastated following the December 2023 floods in Ladysmith. The identified families live in the Jononoskop, Matiwane and Esigodiphola.
The project forms part of the Department of Correctional Service's ongoing initiatives to help offenders integrate into society following their release.
DCS spokesperson in KZN, Thulani Mdluli, said local and district municipal officials joined hands with the Al-Imdaad Foundation and other government stakeholders to form a steering committee and they requested offender labour to build three homes.
“Artisan parolees, probationers and offenders were identified and allocated for the task from the Glencoe Management Area where they began building the homes in April,” he said.
Mdluli explained that part of the Correctional Services Act makes provisions that offenders should be given a second chance to do community service to mend relations with victims of crime and to avoid recidivism. The project was completed last month.
The handover coincides with Women’s Month celebrations as the families are all female-headed with most of the either relatives still in school or collecting grant.
Al-Imdaad provided the building materials and furniture while various government departments pitched in with electrical, water and sanitation connections.
“The houses will be ceremoniously presented to the families by KZN Regional Commissioner, Mnikelwa Nxele and uThukela District Mayor on Thursday,” Mdluli said.
IOL News