SOUTH AFRICA FEATURE PACKAGE PRISON SOCCER

South Africa crime prison soccer Confederations Cup 2009

epa01749243 The 'Brazil' team celebrate their victory over the 'Spain' team after the final of the 'Confederations Cup' organised in the Boksburg prison to mark the upcoming FIFA tournament to be played in South Africa during June 2009, in Cullinan, South Africa, 14 May 2009. The inmates where divided into teams named after the countries playing in the official tournament. South Africa has amongst the highest crimes rates in the world with an estimated 19,000 murders per year and 37,000 rapes reported. This excludes those not reported. The countries prison services are struggling to maintain their standards with the high numbers of offenders. As a medium-security prison Boksburg Centre A houses prisoners serving sentences of between five and 15 years. Most are in for robbery, assault or rape, common offences in a country where the growing gap between rich and poor drives is thwarting efforts to bring down vertiginous crime rates. Local soccer legends have also shown their support, by turning up to games and giving a few pointers. 'The initiative of creating these tournaments in the prison is saying: 'Guys we didn�t just dump you in a big hole and leave you there',' says Phil Masinga, one of South Africa�s top former internationals. 'It's saying, you may be an offender but you're still a human being.'' EPA/KIM LUDBROOK

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