A Durban-Westville prisoner serving a seven-year sentence for rape obtained straight A’s to pass his matric with a distinction, prison officials said on Friday.
Mbuso Zulu (23) who studies at the prison’s Usethubeni Youth School, was one of 42 prisoners who wrote their matric exams this year.
Among the prisoners 27 men achieved a 96% pass rate while 15 female students achieved a 79% pass rate.
Eleven male prisoners achieved A symbols in some of their subjects while the female prisoners’ highest achievers received C symbols, said Correctional Services spokesperson Luphumzo Kebeni.
Zulu, who was arrested when he was 19 for raping his underage girlfriend, received A’s in subjects including accounting, business economics, IsiZulu, English, and mercantile law.
Kebeni said officials were very proud of Zulu and the other prisoners and would assist them in furthering their education.
”We will definitely not leave him and other students but will ensure that they get assisted in furthering their studies through institutions such as Unisa where they can do correspondence courses, because we see education as a serious form of rehabilitation.”
”Studying teaches prisoners so many skills and disciplines which will help them once they go back to society,” Kebeni said. – Sapa