The hygienic conditions and self-sustainability of the Walvis Bay Correctional Facility have impressed parliamentarians who visited the facility recently. 

Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence and Security have therefore called on other correctional facilities to emulate the standards.

Built 49 years ago, the Walvis Bay Correctional Facility accommodates 258 male offenders, of which 14 are foreigners while three are awaiting trial.

Assistant Commissioner Frans Windstaan, the officer in charge of the facility highlighted some success stories from the facility.

He mentioned that the construction of a modern security fence is nearing completion, while a million-dollar project to renovate classrooms for offenders, through donations from the private sector is halfway done.

Various rehabilitation programmes are further supporting the recovery journey of the offenders.

Walvis Bay Correctional Facility Head, Assistant Commissioner Frans Windstaan said they have educational programmes of which three of their inmates are currently doing tertiary education, one in law and then they have the rest of them doing Grade 11 at NAMCOL and also functional literacy. 

"We also have case management services, currently 20 inmates are involved in offender empowerment. We want to empower them in a way that after release, they would be able to sustain themselves as well as their families."

Offenders who are interested in agriculture, are taught how to grow vegetables in the facility's gardens. 

Fresh produce is used to diversify the food menu in the kitchen.

Assistant Commissioner Windstaan explained that an art and craft workshop provides another option to offenders who have a keen interest in vocational training.

The products created in the workshop are sold to the community.

Moreover, the facility never buys bread from supermarkets because there is a bakery run by the offenders.

The parliamentarians toured the sleeping quarters and the conditions here met their approval.

"The fact that they have committed a crime doesn't mean they must be punished twice, you are here because you have committed a crime, treat them like human beings, that is what we want to see in our prisons, not prisoners sleeping on the floors, sit in the toilet, eating is there, sleeping is there on the floor, this is not humane treatment, so I like this, this facility and I would like to say thank you commissioner and your team, you are doing a great job, treat people the way you want to be treated," said Parliamentary Committee Member on Defence and Security Elma Dienda.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee Chairperson on Defence & Security Leevi Katoma said the inmates are well kept, the place is clean of course there would be no environment without problems, "but we have even asked them whether they have problems and they said no, they don't have any problems, it's just normal, so in addition to the cleanliness of the place, we also want to encourage you that you keep up, the good work, extend even the self-help projects you are also engaging here so that you have your own food. So we are really happy that the facility is self-sustained in terms of food security."

The facility's buildings are however in a dilapidated state and need renovation.