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Around 50 inmates of the Groenpunt prison in Deneysville, Free State, suffered minor injuries in a stampede when police entered the facility early on Tuesday morning.
Five prison staff also suffered minor injuries.
A riot had broken out at around 4pm yesterday when prisoners refused to eat and started setting fires.
They were unhappy with the quality of the food and the conduct of several prison officials.
Police spokesperson Peter Kareli says the situation had been brought under control by daybreak.
He said that prisoners used shower heads and sharpened them to use them as knives and spears.
