A group of female offenders at Johannesburg Correctional Centre walked across the hall on Wednesday not as inmates but as graduates, a moment that blended accountability, rehabilitation and the fragile optimism of second chances.
The department of correctional services (DCS), in partnership with Kaizer Chiefs, the Twinning Project and the FIFA Foundation, hosted the graduation of the second cohort of women who completed the two-month programme.
Acting national commissioner Tlabo Thokolo said the day “was more than a ceremony”, calling it a demonstration of how practical rehabilitation opens doors for offenders determined to change their lives.
“It is a statement of hope and possibility,” he said. “These women chose to participate and commit themselves. They are proof that change is not only possible, but powerful.”
Rather than just football, the programme focuses on building discipline, conflict resolution, time management, teamwork and communication, all taught through the structure of sport. The women received Leadership in Sport certificates, accredited through the Twinning Project.
Hilton Freund, CEO of the Twinning Project, said football continues to show its ability to empower people serving sentences.
“It is not just learning football, it’s learning through football. They learn the human skills that make a good coach, and those are the same skills they need to reintegrate and contribute meaningfully to their communities,” said Freund.
Kaizer Chiefs, which provided expert coaches, equipment and ongoing mentorship, said the club sees the partnership as part of its responsibility to uplift communities.
“We are shining light in a space many people see as dark,” said club marketing director, Jessica Motaung. “It’s wonderful to see how these women have grown, not just in football, but in confidence and life skills.”
Chiefs coach Dillon Sheppard, who helped train the cohort, said the programme’s impact becomes visible long before graduation day.
“Some of the women are already asking about continuing with their coaching licences when they finish their sentences. That is what this is about, giving them tools to start something positive when they return home.”
For the graduates, the certificates carried personal meaning.
Lindokuhle Ndaba, 42, from KwaZulu-Natal, is serving a 25-year sentence for murder and is due for release in 2027. Already a coach inside the facility, she said the programme gave her direction.
“This training taught me purpose. I want to go home and teach kids, not just soccer, but respect and good choices.”
Another graduate, Matshidiso Mahlatse, who is serving 12 years for commercial fraud and is due to be paroled in 2027, said she joined the programme to prepare herself for reintegration.
“Prison life has no balance, but this programme opened doors in my mind. I will take what I have learned back to my community in Vaal.”
Mahlatse is also a PhD candidate in applied mathematics through the University of Pretoria and conducts part of her research using the facility’s computer hub.
As the ceremony closed, the women walked outside into the sunlight to demonstrate drills, passes and team formations, a showcase of skills they hope will one day shape young players in their communities.
Thokolo said DCS intends to expand partnerships that build strong, practical rehabilitation pathways.
“These women are not defined by their past. They are defined by their courage to change.”
TimesLIVE
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