Beitbridge Prison needs urgent modernisation

BEITBRIDGE Prison requires urgent modernisation and expanded infrastructure to support Zimbabwe's shift from a purely punitive correctional system towards rehabilitation and reintegration, Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Albert Nguluvhe has said.

Nguluvhe made the remarks on Monday during a tour of the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) facility, where he assessed its operations and challenges and donated paint on behalf of the Beitbridge community.

The Minister was received by Officer Commanding Beitbridge Prison Superintendent Onai Chimujakazi, senior ZPCS officers, Government officials and members of the local business community.

Nguluvhe said the visit had given him an appreciation of the institution's rehabilitation programmes, including garment production and agricultural projects.

"I was impressed by what I have seen on the ground. I wasn't aware that they are making garments for all prisoners in Matabeleland South, although they have a small facility," he said.

"It is small, but it needs more support."

He also praised the prison's agricultural projects, saying inmates were producing sufficient food for their own consumption, with surplus produce being sold on the local market.

However, he said the institution required larger workshops and improved infrastructure to enable inmates to acquire practical, marketable skills before their release.

"I also want to thank the Second Republic for the reforms in our prison system, from incarceration to rehabilitation and reintegration," Nguluvhe said.

"The implementation here is comprehensive and impressive. I believe these people could learn a lot and reintegrate when they are discharged."

He said modern correctional facilities should provide adequate space for vocational training and other empowerment programmes.

"These prisoners need empowerment space, especially by making sure we have big workshops for rehabilitation skills here so that they learn more practical skills," he said.

Superintendent Chimujakazi said the institution was currently accommodating 287 inmates against a carrying capacity of 200, putting further pressure on its infrastructure.

The prison population comprises 181 convicted males, 24 convicted females, seven convicted migrants, two unconvicted migrants, 66 unconvicted males and five unconvicted females.

He said overcrowding had improved following the Government's 2025 amnesty, which helped reduce the inmate population.

Despite the pressure on space, Chimujakazi said the institution currently had sufficient food stocks, adequate medication and a functioning clinic.

He added that improved sanitation and health interventions had contributed to a decline in diseases such as tuberculosis.

The officer said the prison's operations were anchored on three pillars — incarceration, rehabilitation and reintegration — but additional resources were required to expand the programmes.

He appealed for the construction of a workshop where inmates could be trained in various trades, noting that community members had already volunteered to teach inmates different skills.

The prison, which was constructed in 1956, is now considered outdated and requires significant infrastructure upgrades to meet modern correctional standards.

Nguluvhe said priority should be given to constructing a new administration block, additional ablution facilities, improved staff accommodation and larger training workshops.

He also pledged to donate 50 road-runner chickens to support the prison's agricultural activities.

The local business community has also pledged support, with businessman Charles Mulowa and other stakeholders donating an initial 200 litres of paint for refurbishment.

The business community has also provided a gas cylinder for the prison kitchen and committed to mobilising further resources.

Mulowa said continued investment in the facility would benefit both inmates and staff while contributing to Beitbridge's broader development.

"A modernised Beitbridge Prison would not only improve conditions for inmates and staff, but would also strengthen the town's broader development agenda," he said.

The visit highlighted the growing emphasis on equipping inmates with skills and productive opportunities that can assist them to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society after release.