Raymond Jaravaza, ray.jaravaza@chronicle.co.zw
WHEN Closper Violet Ncube felt the sharp pains of labour begin, the terror was immediate and absolute. Serving a 13-month sentence for theft at the Mlondolozi Prison, housed within the vast Khami Prison Complex, she had been pregnant at the time of her sentencing at the Bulawayo Magistrate Courts. Now, the dreadful reality of raising a new-born baby within the confines of a correctional facility was an unavoidable and horrifying prospect.
The sheer difficulty of this reality was a hard pill to swallow, yet Ncube was surprisingly met with profound compassion. Speaking to Chronicle yesterday on the final day of the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) Family Week, she recalled the extraordinary lengths to which prison officials went to ensure she delivered her child safely and comfortably at Mpilo Central Hospital just four months ago.
“I went into labour while already serving my sentence for theft and it was really hard for me to accept that I would be a mother in jail. Prison officers took me to Mpilo Hospital where I gave birth to my baby and they were very helpful throughout the whole process. The prison authorities made sure that I had baby clothes and diapers when my child was born,” Ncube said.
She admitted that her preconceived notions of prison life were shattered.
“I always thought prison was hard but I’ve realised that a mother and baby can also have a comfortable life while they are both behind bars.”
Her greatest pain, however, was the recurring ill-health of her son, but even then, “the prison officers made sure that he had access to health services all the time.”
With just a few months remaining on her sentence, Ncube has made a solemn vow to stay away from crime.
“I don’t want to come back here ever again. Prison is not a good place for a child and I want to raise him well when I’m released. We eat three times a day and our children are well taken care of. I want my son to grow up to be a responsible person and I will stay away from crime for the rest of my life,” she insisted.
Her sentiment was echoed by 25-year-old Abigail Matindiyano, who is currently awaiting trial for theft in remand prison alongside her three-month-old daughter.
“It’s not easy being in prison with a child but the prison officers try their best to make our lives easier,” Matindiyano said.
Her life, she says, was irreversibly altered by her arrest.
“My life changed when I was arrested and it has never been the same. I don’t want my child to remember me as a mother who stayed with her in jail so I want to do all I can to leave this place and never come back.”
As a gesture of support, both women, along with other mothers and children incarcerated at the complex, were yesterday gifted baby formula, diapers, and clothes by a generous non-profit organisation.
The conclusion of ZPCS Family Week saw the Khami Prison Complex — which encompasses five units including Khami Maximum, Medium, and Remand prisons, a Workshop, and the female and mental health-focused Mlondolozi — buzzing with activity as friends and relatives visited inmates.
The annual event once again highlighted the ZPCS’s commitment to modernising its correctional and rehabilitative thrust. This was exemplified by the groundbreaking, secure video call technology introduced last year, which allows inmates at Khami to interact virtually with relatives who cannot travel to the facility. This system was vital during last year’s Family Week, allowing interaction even with those based overseas.
Commissioner Mkhulunyelwa Ngwenya, Officer Commanding Bulawayo Prisons, explained the rationale.
“For all inmates to enjoy the family week and interact with their loved ones, regardless of distance, we introduced a secure virtual interaction system that allows relatives who cannot travel to Khami Prison to communicate with inmates via secure video calls.”
He detailed the extent of its reach.
“We have inmates whose relatives are based overseas, as is the case with some inmates from Brazil and other countries who are serving time at Khami Prison for various crimes such as drug trafficking. Their relatives were able to interact with the inmates using secure video calls.”
In a crucial first, the system also ensures inclusivity, even allowing persons with disabilities to connect with their loved ones.
“We have one inmate who has speech impairment who was able to communicate with his South Africa-based mother using sign language via the secure video call. The programmes that we continue to introduce during the ZPCS Family Week are part of our rehabilitation thrust that allow inmates to interact with people from the outside who will give hope and encouragement to move forward to a better tomorrow when they are released from prison,” Commissioner Ngwenya said.
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