MATSAPHA – Government has reaffirmed its commitment to providing sustained support to His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) to ensure the continued delivery of efficient, sustainable and humane correctional services across the country.
Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini made the commitment while addressing the commemoration of the 18th Correctional Services Day held at the Matsapha Correctional Services College on Friday in the presence of His Majesty King Mswati III and Her Majesty the Indlovukazi.
The Prime Minister said correctional institutions around the world were facing increasingly complex challenges, including growing offender populations, evolving security risks and the diverse needs of inmates.
He said these realities continued to place significant pressure on institutional capacity and service delivery systems.”In light of these realities, His Majesty’s Government hereby reaffirms its commitment to providing sustained support to the Correctional Services to enable the continued delivery of efficient, sustainable and humane correctional services, in strict accordance with the laws of the Kingdom and its international obligations,” said Dlamini.The Prime Minister commended members of HMCS for their professionalism and dedication in advancing a correctional system that prioritises both security and rehabilitation.
He highlighted the progress made in the provision of psychosocial support services, vocational skills training, as well as cultural and sporting programmes for offenders.
According to Dlamini, these initiatives play a critical role in promoting behavioural change, personal development and the successful reintegration of offenders into society.He said the programmes help transform inmates into law-abiding and productive citizens while contributing to peace, stability and public safety.Dlamini further described the transformation of HMCS from a traditional custodial institution into a modern rehabilitation-focused correctional service as one of the most significant milestones in the organisation’s history.
He said the shift reflected the principle that every offender should be given a meaningful opportunity for rehabilitation and a second chance to become a constructive member of society.
“The evolution of the Correctional Services from a conventional custodial framework to a modern rehabilitation-oriented corrections model remains a defining milestone in the institutional history of the service,” he said.
The Prime Minister noted that the progress achieved by HMCS demonstrated the country’s commitment to a correctional system that balances accountability with rehabilitation, while upholding human dignity and promoting safer communities..
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