The temporary release of former Public Works and Transport Minister Ntuthuko Dlamini to participate in the ongoing Incwala ceremony has sparked public controversy and debate, reopening wider questions about how the correctional system balances punishment with rehabilitation in cases involving serious violent crime.
Dlamini, a former LaMgabhi member of Parliament (MP), who had transitioned into business at the time of the offences, is serving an effective 35-year prison sentence following his conviction for the murder of three men and the unlawful possession of a firearm.
"His Majesty’s Correctional Services has explained the temporary release of Ntuthuko
Dlamini to attend Incwala, citing rehabilitation and cultural reintegration policies.
The killings were described by the courts as execution-style, a characterisation that featured prominently in sentencing deliberations.
In March 2023, the High Court sentenced Dlamini to 20 years imprisonment, with the three murder counts ordered to run concurrently.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) appealed the sentence, contending that it did not adequately reflect the gravity of the crimes.
In June 2025, the Supreme Court upheld the appeal and increased the sentence by 15 years, resulting in an effective 35-year term.
The latest development follows Dlamini’s temporary release under correctional supervision to take part in the Incwala Ceremony, a nationally significant cultural ceremony.
The decision has drawn mixed public reaction, with critics questioning its appropriateness given the seriousness of the offences, while others have framed it within broader rehabilitation objectives.
In response to the debate, His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) said the participation of selected inmates in approved cultural activities formed part of a structured rehabilitation intervention aligned with its mandate of correction, rehabilitation and reintegration.
The department emphasised that rehabilitation begins immediately upon conviction or admission into custody, regardless of the length or seriousness of a sentence.
Inmates, HMCS said, are enrolled into programmes based on assessed needs, conduct and demonstrated progress while in custody, rather than on profile or previous public standing.
HMCS noted that inmate participation in cultural activities was not unprecedented, adding that juveniles and adult offenders serving lengthy sentences had, over the years, taken part in events such as Incwala, Umhlanga and the cutting of lusekwane without discrimination.
Culture, it said, plays a central role in moral renewal, identity formation and behaviour change.
According to the department, long-term inmates had also participated in community outreach initiatives, including school visits and media engagements, where they shared messages of accountability, moral regeneration and personal transformation.
HMCS further stressed that enrolment in any rehabilitation programme does not alter an inmate’s custodial status or suggest eligibility for release.
Rehabilitation, it said, is a multi-stage process that could include initiatives such as Victim–Offender Mediation (VOM), through which offenders may, at an appropriate stage, seek accountability and reconciliation with victims or their families.
The correctional services said all inmate participation in cultural activities was carefully assessed, approved and supervised in accordance with national laws and correctional policy.
It maintained that its approach sought to balance public safety, respect for victims, human rights and cultural values.
REHAB INITIATIVES ANNOUNCEMENT SPARKS PUBLIC FURY
The announcement of HMCS rehabilitation initiatives, highlighting the involvement of inmates such as Ntuthuko Dlamini, Boyce Gama and Maponi Ngubane, has generated a flurry of reactions on social media, with users expressing a mix of curiosity, scepticism, and outrage.
Some social media users voiced concerns over fairness and transparency.
Sizwe Makama questioned the rationale for rehabilitating inmates serving extremely long sentences, asking, “He was sentenced to two life sentences. Why rehabilitate a person who is not coming out?”
Similarly, Morrison Steve raised safety concerns, asking, “How safe are we if inmates can be released at night and when there is light we get explanation?”
