Port Elizabeth, December 27 (ANA) – At least three separate investigations are being conducted into the attack on guards at St Albans Prison that left three inmates dead and several others, including correctional services staff, critically injured.
Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, Deputy Justice and Correctional Services Minister Thabang Makwetla said the fight had broken out on Monday morning after 33 prisoners started attacking guards in the dining hall of the Maximum B facility at the end of the morning meal.
“According to a preliminary report given to us, yesterday morning at around 10:00 a total of 33 inmates started attacking officials who were on duty. The offenders who were carrying sharp objects and self-made knives, violently attacked the officials,” said Makwetla.
He said during the fight 13 officials were injured, six of them critically, and had been admitted to hospital. Three inmates lost their lives, with one passing away at the prison clinic, and the other two at a nearby hospital.
Makwetla said a formal internal departmental query had been launched, and that the police were in the process of conducting their own, independent investigation.
He also confirmed that the Judicial Inspectorate of Correctional Services had been informed of the incident and that they would also be dealing with the case.
“The ministry wishes to commend officials who managed to quell down this rebellious act that could have led to a calamitous situation on our hands,” Makwetla said.
“In the same vein, our condolences and sympathy goes to the families and relatives of the deceased inmates.”
Makwetla said the department was in the process of informing the families of the deceased and that their names would only be released once this was done.
He said the Maximum B facility had a total of 674 inmates in 23 cells, and that the prisoners in cells 1 through 21 had already been to the dining area, had eaten and had returned to their cells before the attack happened. He said those involved in the fight were from cells 22 and 23.
Makwetla said these cells housed eight inmates and 25 inmates respectively, and were reserved for the most difficult offenders in the maximum detention facility.
Te deputy minister said there had been a grievance raised by the inmates in these cells relating to certain privileges that had been withheld. He said the complaints had been dealt with but there had been simmering tensions building in the cells.
Department of Correctional Services National Commissioner, Zach Modise, said one of the biggest problems St Albans faced was gangsterism, with the numbers gangs, the 26s, 27s and 28s, being well represented.
He said there were particular days of the year, such as the 26th of December, where it was common cause for gangsters in prison to attack officials.
Modise said the prison was currently understaffed and that this was made worse by the public holidays and long weekend, which meant that a number of staff members were off on leave or had the long weekend off.
He also pointed out that the facility, which is designed to hold a maximum of 4,000 prisoners, currently had 4,387 convicted criminals, excluding the awaiting trial prisoners and as such was overcrowded.
Makwetla said the lockdown remained in force for the Maximum B facility as a precautionary step to bring back normalcy to the centre.
He also urged people visiting inmates to refrain from bringing contraband such as drugs knives and cellphones to prisoners.
– African News Agency (ANA)
