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IOL News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
South Africa's call to the UN over dangers of cybercrime and organised crime
During the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice session, Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald stressed the significance of global cooperation in the fight against cybercrime. Image: Facebook/ Department of Correctional Services Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald said Monday that international collaboration is essential for combating modern threats such as cybercrime, which erode the rule of law and negatively affect the quality of life for all citizens, particularly vulnerable populations. He also announced that South Africa is in the process of creating a National Transnational Organised Crime Strategy to address these issues. This formed part of South Africa's national statement at the 34th session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) in Vienna, Austria. Groenewald said the CCPCJ is convening at a significant moment, as the international community marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the Nelson Mandela Rules and the 15th anniversary of the Bangkok Rules. He said these reflect the global consensus that the dignity and human rights of all persons, including those deprived of liberty, must be respected. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'As we confront new, evolving, and increasingly complex forms of crime, ranging from cybercrime to crimes that affect the environment, it is imperative that our justice systems remain firmly anchored in the rule of law and guided by the fundamental principles of human rights,' Groenewald said. 'In this context, South Africa welcomes the timely deliberations of this session, recognising that these emerging forms of crime pose a growing threat to global peace, security, and sustainable development. We welcome the theme's alignment with Actions 7 and 24 of the Pact for the Future and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.' The Minister said that although South Africa supports the ongoing reform of the United Nations to enhance system-wide coherence and realignment of priorities and financial resources, it is concerned about the ongoing liquidity crisis facing the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and its adverse impact on programme delivery and technical assistance, particularly to developing countries. However, the country affirms its support for the role the UNODC plays in addressing transnational organised crime. 'South Africa calls for strengthened international cooperation to effectively address evolving threats, which undermine the rule of law and impact the quality of life of our citizens, particularly the most vulnerable, such as women, children and youth,' Groenewald said. 'In this regard, I wish to inform that South Africa is developing a National Transnational Organised Crime Strategy to prevent and combat transnational organised crime.' 'To enhance the fight against crime and ensure uniformity, Member States are encouraged to harmonise their legal frameworks by ratifying and implementing international legal treaties, such as the recently adopted UN Convention against Cybercrime, which serves as a pivotal international framework to combat cybercrime, strengthen international cooperation and facilitate technical assistance and capacity-building support, particularly for developing countries,' Groenewald continued. Groenewald urged Member States to sign and ratify the instrument for early entry into force and also adopt innovative crime prevention approaches to build a safer and more resilient world. Meanwhile, on behalf of the African Group, ambassador, permanent representative of Burkina Faso and chair of the Africa Group to the Permanent Missions to the United Nations in Vienna, Maimounata Ouattara, urged all United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) State Parties to impose a system-wide zero tolerance policy against corrupt practices and highlights the necessity to take urgent measures to prevent, prosecute and deter all forms of corruption, to strengthen international cooperation to effectively prevent and counter money laundering and illicit financial flows and enhance measures for the identification, tracing, freezing, seizure, return of assets and recovery of all proceeds of crime or corruption, to deny them safe havens through their eventual confiscation.
Zawya
02-05-2025
- Zawya
Corrections Officers in Warrap absorb importance of dignity to create safe prisons
'We used to believe that strictness was the only way of maintaining order in a prison,' admitted Achol Deng, one of 13 female Correction Officers who joined male colleagues from across Warrap State for a recent and, as it turned out, truly eye-opening training. 'Now we understand how dignity and respect can prevent problems from even happening.' This significant and potentially life-changing insight was the key takeaway from a three-day workshop benefitting 40 officers from the National Prison Service of South Sudan (NPSSS), conducted at the state headquarters and with the support of the Corrections Unit of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). The intensive course delved into modern prison management techniques developed to enhance security by prioritizing prisoners' rights and dignity. Through detailed discussions on the Nelson Mandela Rules and other contemporary best practices and procedures for conducting searches, escorts, and visitations, attending prison wardens clearly realized the use and inherent value of treating inmates with respectfully and humanely. 'Understanding prisoners' rights and perspective doesn't weaken our control—it actually gives us more authority by helping us gain their trust and cooperation,' explained Abraham Chol, an experienced Corrections Officer who facilitated part of the training. This point was further driven home by means of realistic role-play exercises, which vividly demonstrated how this approach to prison management reduces tensions and hence the risk of conflicts. Gender sensitivity emerged as another critical aspect of promoting harmonious relations behind bars. As officers reflected on traditional gender norms, they concluded that these often contribute to the unjust detention of women, and that recognizing the different needs and vulnerabilities of female and male prisoners is an important part of creating a positive and safe environment for all. Women prisoners may, for example, need other protection measures to be adopted to ensure their safety. 'It's empowering to have women's perspectives recognized and valued,' said Mary Ater from Gogrial East. 'Addressing gender-specific issues openly makes prisons safer and more humane for staff and inmates alike.' The training also covered emergency preparedness, riot prevention techniques and the ethical use of force, always to be used as a last resort. 'These are realities and conundrums we face almost every day,' said Deng Mabior, another facilitator of the workshop. 'Learning proven and effective methods to handle these situations increases the safety of everyone involved in a confrontation.' Participants particularly appreciated the sessions led by national colleagues. 'Seeing our own colleagues step up and demonstrate their skills by training us sends a powerful message. It proves to us that we can implement many changes and improvements on our own,' one Corrections Officer noted. According to Achol Deng, a paradigm shift occurred over just three days. 'Rules and guidelines are all well and good, but what really matters is a new conviction, a firm belief in dignity and respect as fundamental, positive and useful values to apply in our daily work.'
