MURDERERS MAKE RIGHT WITH VICTIM

On Thursday 20 November, at the onset of International Restorative Justice Week and the imminent 16 Days of Activism Against Abuse of Women and Children, a group of murderers will be escorted by the Department of Correctional Services to Alexandra SAPS Hall in order to give the community an opportunity to enter into a rare dialogue that was recently initiated between the murderers and a woman whose father was murdered in a hijacking.



The same event will happen on 26 November when the same perpetrators are escorted to the Naledi SAPS Hall in Soweto.



The sensational dialogue that began in private within the premises of Leeuwkop Correctional Centre is referred to as a Victim Impact Panel by Restorative Justice (RJ) practitioners and was facilitated by RJ specialists from Khulisa, a leading non governmental organization dedicated to preventing crime throughout South Africa.



During this Victim Impact panel, the daughter of the murdered hijack victim was given an opportunity to confront the three convicted murderers, together with two other men convicted of attempted murder and another of armed robbery. She shared with them the consequences of their crimes to her, her family, their friends and their neighbours. This dialogue is part of a process of healing for her after her father was murdered a few years ago.



Members of the Alexandra and Naledi community will also be given the opportunity to participate in this rare event of sharing, healing and learning by hearing feedback from the two parties and go a step further towards learning how to build a restorative community.



Head of Khulisa’s Restorative Justice Department, George Lai Thom, explains, “Restorative Justice (RJ) offers a holistic alternative to judicial systems that incarcerate offenders and often ignore victims' need for reparation and closure. In the interests of seeking true closure for these victims, offenders are asked to take responsibility, to be accountable and to be willing to make things as right as possible.



Khulisa’s Restorative Justice, Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution Department has facilitated over 4500 custodial and court-based cases in South Africa over the last five years.



Many victims report back feeling a decrease in fear after having seen the face and heard the story of an offender who might one day be released. The family of crime victims benefit from sharing their personal experience directly with the offenders. Often they also want to know the inner thoughts of offenders in order to get closure”.



Lai Thom explains further that, “The Victim Impact Panel offers an opportunity for those surviving a crime to give offenders hell for the damage they caused. In some cases this results in them being able to release the burden of anger and bitterness they feel and find sorely needed closure. They are asked to tell offenders what they’ve experienced and how they feel having gone through a Criminal Justice System that in many instances, left them doubly victimized because closure and reparation were never completed. Often they explain how they feel re-traumatised by the denial of the offenders.”



Lai Thom explains furthermore, that “Offenders who go through this process describe feeling shocked at the far-reaching effects and human costs of their actions. It’s hard for us to grasp, but they’ve never heard what the survivors of a crime have to say so explicitly”, he says. “They also experience a sense of closure and appreciate the opportunity for repentance and having a say in making things right.”



Lai Thom adds, “Our wish is that these two communities are strengthened by their participation in such an event where they have been given an opportunity to be connected in problem solving rather than feeling disempowered.



Khulisa is an award-winning national non governmental organization which has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of South Africans since 1997 by preventing crime through promoting rehabilitation, education and reconciliation. It currently operates throughout South Africa, implementing innovative education, leadership, skills training and personal development programmes. Khulisa promotes reconciliation and reintegration in all aspects of its work.

IT IS NOT TOO LATE FOR CHANGE

Amazing: Thulani and the fellow inmate surrounded by the family He (Thulani) once victimized from left to right. Aunt Klalani, brother Thabo, fellow inmate Eric, Mother Dineo, Happy Thulani, behind cousin Dimakatso, sister Ellen, sister in law Nono, and below left to right son Luciano, daughter Natacia, nephew Njabulo and niece Poppy.

It was hard painful and torturing experience, I went through as a boy, I grew up knowing that violence was a simple way in problem solving and expressing how you feel. Humiliation, fear, terror and lack of love a strong grip in my life.
I left home at the age of 16 years to look for a life I thought would have been better than that of home. Guns, blood, money & alcohol, girlfriends were all around me. I thought I would be better man than my dad, but I became ten times a monster. Abuse, guilt and revenge refused to let go of me.

More fear, more anger, more violence held me tight.
I robbed people of their money, I stole money, I stole, I killed and abused my family and a friend, and my community too. But it was not for too late for change. I was shot badly and injured by police, imprisoned and sentenced to 15 years in jail.

Regret, more shame and loneliness tried to let me commit suicide. But through the love and the mercy of God I was saved from my sins and forgiven. I became a born again Christian and started to seek change, healing, forgiveness and love. The Love of God, the love of my family, the love of DCS members and the love of Khulisa brought a complete change that still continues in my life.

Today: I want (wish) to give love and respect together with my time for all the victims around the globe. I am willing to fight against crime, woman and child abuse by educating, giving information to those who have been victimized or affected by the acts of crime and violence, also perpetrators.

Silence The Violence – we can all do it together

T.

Tsotsi and homework

Perhaps it sounds strange for the session that we attended today, why? It is because you ought to be open your heart and deliver everything that hurt you from your childhood until to the stage of been incarcerated. Well, to hear from the other people’s experience in life it reminds me for the things that past in my life.

Well again to the movie that I watch from the T.V about Tsotsi it is painful to grow to the family that they not gave love that you deserve as a child you possessed by the spirit of no mercy. Yes, indeed this movie showing us exactly the way the crime starts to our environment of living. To be irresponsible in your family as a father it makes things worse for the innocent people in the family especially the children.

I was been encouraged the way our Social workers and the Khulisa members being open to us and the way they treat us, as they treat their children. I feel relieved to each and everything that we done in that session of today. We all in all it’s about me and my consciousness to understand myself to the scenario. It is very interesting to understand from your mistake and acknowledged them and steps of solving them accordingly. Concerning the dialogue with my actions.

Well I would love to be down and not be angry as I use to be before to show them the love as I approach them for the forgiveness to what done, openly to my speech of asking the forgiveness, hoping to be humble from them will show them the fruits of change.

Michael, Zonderwater