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Khahliso Ncube
Everyone has a purpose in life and a unique talent to share with others and that has been proven by inmates at Bulawayo Prisons.
Bulawayo prisons inmates have formed a group called Indumiso Performance Arts which sings imbube and it consists of 11 members. Their lead singer is a correctional officer. This helps build a relationship between inmates and correctional officers.
The group is not only effective in prison but also outside prison walls as they sing at functions and the money they get is used to buy their uniforms and some is kept for them so that they use once they are out of jail.
“As Bulawayo Prisons we have formed a group called Indumiso which does not provide entertainment for inmates only but for everyone else who loves the sounds of imbube. The group gets gigs every now and then and the money they get is used to buy uniforms for them and part of it is kept for the group members to use once they are out of prison,” said Hlangabeza Mthethwa, correctional officer and lead singer of the group.
The purpose of the group was for inmates to be kept busy in prison and stay out of trouble. It is difficult for the group to get gigs because they are a prison group and people are never comfortable being associated with inmates. The group is still new and it was always difficult to form a group because of transfers of inmates.
“The idea of a singing ground has been around for a long time but it was difficult for me to pursue it because I always had a challenge of inmates released or transferred but we have overcome that by having members with long sentences,” he added.
Hlangabeza’s wish is for the group to live longer and help other inmates with behavioural problems who will join to be better people.
Online Reporter