Choristers and jazz musicians serving time in the Free State and Northern Cape prisons, will for the third time take part in Macufe Arts Festival. Working together with the Department of Arts and Culture, this project forms part of the Correctional Services program for offenders’ rehabilitation and social cohesion.
The Kimberly Offender Jazz Band, the Bizzah Makhate Offender Choir from Kroonstad, the Groenpunt Offender Jazz Band from Vereeniging and the Grootvlei Offender Choir from Bloemfontein will take part.
Correctional Services Regional Head of Development and care for the Free State and Northern Cape Region, Gustav Wilson, says this is a great opportunity for the offenders to participate in the community.
“Most of these artists that we have behind bars, in the musical and arts talent have a skill and the community must be uplifted with that skill,” Wilson said.
“And we hope that they are supported so that when they are coming out that they will already have an opportunity of employment or that they can develop them further with the skills that they have obtained in our correctional facilities,” said Wilson.
Seithati Semenokane / Courant News
