12 May 2024

Acting President Slumber Tsogwane, joined multitudes of Batswana, in celebrating Botswana Prison Service (BPS)  66^th anniversary of in  Mahalapye on May 11.

Mr Tsogwane also honoured distinguished members of the BPS by awarding 74 medals. 

Amongst awardees was Former BPS Commissioner Ms Dinah Marathe who was presented with the most prestigious award of the BPS, the Botswana Prison Service Medal for Meritorious Service. This award recognises individuals whose exceptional service has significantly contributed to the development of the Prison Service and country at large.

The Acting President also conferred 24 officers with the Botswana Prison Service Distinguished Service Order Medal. This award is given to members of the BPS with a meritorious service record of at least 30 continuous years.

Additionally, twenty-two officers received the BPS Jubilee Service Medal, presented to those serving for a minimum of 25 years continuously. 

Twenty-seven officers were awarded the Botswana Prison Service Medal for long service and good conduct, recognising their 18 years of service and exemplary conduct within the BPS.

BPS Spokesperson, Senior Superintendent Oagile Kojane, expressed the organisation’s pride in Ms Marathe’s achievement, praising her dedication, hard work, and leadership qualities.

“As the BPS we are proud of the former commissioner Ms Marathe for receiving the most prestigious award of the BPS, this award is a true testimony of her hard work and dedication to the organisation,” said the BPS Spokesperson Senior Superintendent Kojane in an interview.

The anniversary was themed Building a High-Performance Culture: Repositioning, Realigning, and Re-engineering the Prison Service to Achieve its Mandate.

 Senior Superintendent Kojane highlighted the significant progress made by the BPS in fulfilling its vision, particularly emphasising the organization’s role in contributing to the country’s economy through its food security strategy.

The event served as a testament to the BPS’s continuous efforts to not only provide custodial care but also to empower offenders for successful reintegration and meaningful contributions to the nation’s economy. 

Furthermore, Senior Superintendent Kojane explained that the BPS took rehabilitation of offenders to a higher level and ensured that their re-integration to the society became a success, adding that in the past it was difficult for the society to accept offenders.

He said it was BPS’ dream to see offenders leading crime free lives saying for that to be achieved it called for the nation and stakeholders to join hands to help offenders reintegrate well with their respective communities.

BPS, he said had formed over 400 re-integration committees across the country comprising Dikgosi, social workers and members of the community, adding that BPS wanted to change minds of offenders and mould them into responsible members of the community. 

He said the BPS together with these committees were doing their best to stop stigma attached to offenders.

He implored the business community to also form part of these committees to help reintegrate offenders by employing them or empowering them to use skills acquired from prison to start their own businesses. 

“We aspire to provide a safer crime free and peaceful Botswana by 2036,” he said.

The Minister of Defence and Security, Mr Kagiso Mmusi also attended the celebrations. Ends