Pretoria - Books, journals, magazines and study material were shared, poems recited, songs sang and motivation exchanged between inmates and librarians at Losperfontein Correctional Facility on Thursday morning, when staff from the Unisa library went there to celebrate Book Week.
While Unisa spoke to the "residents" about the importance of reading and education, they boasted about their own library collection and the programmes they had to rehabilitate each other through books.
Unisa’s Natalia Molebatsi spoke about the importance of partnerships and the breaking of barriers when it came to education, saying: “We want everyone to have access to this precious resource, and it does not matter where they are.”
Video: Ntando Makhubu
Video: Ntando Makhubu
Shimmy Masigo is among the executive members of the prison book club, and is a law graduate, and he said: “Our four year-old book club has made headway in creating and promoting the culture of reading.”
The club not only encouraged reading and education but encouraged members to dialogue and debate issues, producing poets among the incarcerated men.