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INMATES ENCOURAGED TO LIVE HEALTHILY AND POSITIVELY

November 5, 2025

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By Keitumetse Rampoporo and Jaconia Kobue.

Inmates at the Sasolburg Correctional Centre took part in a behavioural change programme called Men Championing for Change.
The prisoners discussed the challenges that many of them face, highlighting the life-changing lessons they had learnt, particularly around sexual violence.
They were encouraged to change the societal perception of ‘men as perpetrators’ and reclaim their places as responsible members of society.

HIV and Aids were key issues that inmates at the Sasolburg Correctional Centre raised in discussing a range of challenges during a Men Championing for Change behavioural change programme.

The programme, under the auspices of the Department of Social Development, working in collaboration with the South African Samaritan Organisation, was well received, with inmates stating that they had learnt many life-changing lessons.

Facilitators Themba Dlengezele and Paseka Maropeng led a discussion on whether one should disclose their status and how best to do so.

Dlengezele provided several tips on how best to approach such a sensitive subject, including:

• Preparing thoroughly to disclose one’s status;

• Choosing the right time and the right place;

• Using clear and simple language, especially one’s mother tongue;

• Maintaining eye contact during the discussion to show that the matter is being taken seriously;

• Having answers for the questions that may arise from that conversation.

• Taking responsibility and avoiding shifting the blame;

• Being sensitive to the feelings of the people hearing the information; and

• Choosing a comfortable and quiet place to disclose.

Several prisoners also gave their views on the most important lessons they had learnt from the behaviour change programme.

Big Boy, who has been sentenced for being in possession of stolen copper, said he had learnt about the pre-exposure prophylaxis, PrEP, which is a medication that reduces the risk of contracting HIV.

He added that he was passionate about transforming the lives of the inmates for the better: “If given a chance, when I leave prison, I aim to join the Samaritan Organisation and become one of the facilitators and motivate others here in this facility.”

Thirty-six-year-old Teabag, who was arrested for rape but has not yet been handed a sentence, says that he is aware of sexual assault in prison facilities but has never been a part of it.

If he could be given another chance outside the prison system, he adds, he would use the opportunity to go back to school, transform his life and become a teacher.

Choppa also shares that he used to force himself on his partner, unaware that he was committing a crime of sexual assault. The behaviour change programme has taught him what sexual assault is and how to conduct himself around women, he reiterated.

He also said it was important for everyone’s partners to know each other’s HIV status.

Mzeke was thankful for a community of inmates who hold each other accountable on issues of HIV prevention and management and who remind each other to take their treatment medication.

However, he also acknowledged that some inmates stop collecting and taking medication after they are released.

Beast added that former inmates were scared of being judged by society and being labelled, which was why they did not take their medication.

Society needed to have sympathy for former inmates and encourage them to be true to themselves and allow them to regain society’s trust, he said.

Trompies, who is 25 years old, was arrested in September 2025 for suspected housebreaking and possession of stolen property. He said that while he had not experienced sexual assault in prison, inmates had told him it did happen, especially in bigger jails.

He had praise for the programme and urged the Department of Social Development to roll it out in other prison facilities, saying that it had a positive impact on inmates.

Forty-five-year-old Damza, who is serving time for housebreaking, commended the prison wardens for the way they treated inmates in the facility.

“Their treatment shows that this is not a death sentence, but more of implementing corrective measures to change [the inmates’] behaviours whilst incarcerated.”

Damza also noted that he had seen a sexual assault that took place on a 21-year-old man, adding that Aids could be spread through rape of other inmates.

The prisoners needed to protect each other against such crimes.

Damza praised the Men Championing for Change session for opening his eyes to the issues of HIV and Aids and to how men could contribute towards changing that kind of behaviour in prison facilities.

In closing, Lethabo Maredi, the manager of Men Championing for Change programme in the national office of the Department of Social Development, encouraged prisoners not to re-offend when they are released.

She encouraged them to change the societal perception of ‘men as perpetrators’ and added that men should reclaim their places as responsible and ethical leaders in society.