By Alicia Mmashakana
The Department of Correctional Services in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other stakeholders, officially began refurbishment work on the Nelson Mandela Rules Training Academy at the Drakenstein Management Area on Nelson Mandela International Day.
The transformation of the existing Drakenstein Training Centre marked the symbolic start of what is set to become Africa’s first academy dedicated exclusively to the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the Nelson Mandela Rules.
The facility is expected to be officially opened in February 2026 during the annual 27 for Freedom Race.
“Nelson Mandela represented hope, having spent 27 years behind bars and rising to become an international icon,” said Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald.
“His life teaches us that even those in incarceration can transform and inspire. The Nelson Mandela Rules serve to uphold human dignity and
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