4 September 2024, Johannesburg - The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has launched the Twinning Project in partnership with Kaizer Chiefs and the FIFA Foundation, focusing on female inmates at the Johannesburg Correctional Centre. This innovative program aims to rehabilitate women offenders through football coaching lessons, thereby empowering them for reintegration into society upon release. The initiative leverages football's universal ability to inspire hope, discipline, and transformation.

Through this partnership, female inmates will access training, mentorship, and opportunities with the aim of fostering physical, emotional, and social growth. The Twinning Project aligns with the DCS's commitment to creating an enabling an environment for positive change through rehabilitation.

Minister of Correctional Services, Dr. Pieter Groenewald, praised the project, noting, "Football has a unique ability to bring people together and create a sense of community. By participating in the Twinning Project, female inmates will have an opportunity to improve themselves and redirect their lives towards the right course."

Kaizer Chiefs Marketing and Commercial Director, Jessica Motaung, expressed the club's excitement to be involved in pursuing positive change through the power of football, saying, "Football has the ability to break down barriers and bring people together, and we're honoured to be part of this journey," adding, "Empowering female inmates with football skills presents an opportunity for growth by helping them unlock their full potential and hopefully assist their reintegration into society as confident, productive individuals."

Kaizer Chiefs coaches, Arthur Zwane, Dillon Shepherd, and Aubrey Mathibe, will conduct workshops where they will use their expertise to train the inmates with a view to equipping them with some skills that can be of benefit long in the future.

Motaung acknowledged their contributions with appreciation, saying, "We're thankful to have coaches who are not only well-skilled in the game but are also passionate about making a difference in their community."

The launch, attended by numerous prominent figures, marks a significant step towards reducing reoffending rates through empowering female inmates. The Twinning Project, first successfully implemented in the UK and subsequently launched in four continents, brings professional football clubs and penal institutions together to prepare prisoners for release and employment.

Hilton Freund MBE, Global CEO of the Twinning Project, welcomed the partnership, saying, "It is a great pleasure to be partnering with Kaizer Chiefs and South African Correctional Services. Football can act as a powerful catalyst for change, and we are delighted that with the support of the FIFA Foundation we have been able to bring this globally recognised sports-based criminal justice initiative to South Africa."