Prison violence causes concern
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Department of Correctional Services officials are now receiving managment training to assist them in coping with the increasing stress of dealing with large volumes of prisoners. A warder at an East London Prison keeps a close eye on prisoners. 241006 Picture: Steve Lawrence Department of Correctional Services officials are now receiving managment training to assist them in coping with the increasing stress of dealing with large volumes of prisoners. A warder at an East London Prison keeps a close eye on prisoners. 241006 Picture: Steve Lawrence
Durban - Acute staff shortages and overcrowding have been blamed for the high levels of gang violence at several of KwaZulu-Natal’s prisons.
Gcinumzi Ntlakana, the chief security officer of the Department of Correctional Services, told Parliament late last week that an analysis of gang activity over the 2012/13 period showed most gang incidents occurred in KZN and the Eastern Cape. Gauteng and the Western Cape had also been identified as a problem.
Ntlakana said the analysis showed gangs were prevalent and that 57 percent of the violence had occurred in KZN.
However, regional Correctional Services commissioner Mnikelwa Nxele disputed the figures given by Ntlakana.
He said of the seven management areas in KwaZulu-Natal, Durban accounted for 493 incidents of gang related violence. This was out of a total of 564 incidents for the entire region during the period under review, Nxele said. “I agree that gang violence is high in KZN, but given the size of KZN in relation to other provinces, I think the figure given in Parliament is greatly exaggerated.”
Nxele said there were 160 000 prisoners nationally, of which KZN had 27 000. “There are seasons when gang violence peaks. Even in this time, the figures are not so high.”
All incidents of gang violence were reported to the national department. This may not be the case with other provinces, he said.
In an interview at New Prison in Pietermaritzburg on Friday, Nxele said the most stabbing and gang violence was reported at Westville Prison’s Medium A and B sections. These sections – classified as maximum security centres and remand detention facilities – collectively house more than 8 000 offenders of the total of 27 000 offenders in KZN’s 41 prisons.
“Overcrowding and acute staff shortages are key factors that contribute to the high levels of gang violence at this prison,” Nxele said.
He said the 28 and 26 gangs, the Big 5, the Forum Gang and Airforce were the main gangs that operated in the prison.
The 28 Gang is known to want control and ownership of sections and prisoners, and the other gangs are said to extort money and steal from inmates.
The Forum Gang is alleged to have been collecting protection money from inmates at Westville’s Medium B section, and terrorising and assaulting those who refuse to pay. It also controls the selling of food and luxury goods.
Nxele said the existence of the Forum Gang, especially in Durban, was of concern. He said gang members were initiated at Westville Prison daily.
“To belong to a gang in prison there has to be the spilling of blood. Gang members make small stab wounds on inmates to welcome them into the gang. This is their protection in prison.”
Inmates who did not belong to gangs were punished by being stabbed, he said.
No deaths as a result of gang-related violence had been reported in KZN in the past year, he said.
Nxele conceded gang violence was supported by some corrupt warders and prison officials. “But, they’re not in the majority. Most want to serve.”
Investigations at several of KZN’s prisons had revealed that some warders gathered information for gangs and connived with them, he said.
“These corrupt officials put us in a bad light. Many inmates give in to the gangs because they fear for their lives. But, I assure them that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated. These corrupt officials will be tracked down.”
He said this had been declared “the year of the correctional officer”.
“Through this initiative we hope to boost the morale of warders. We want to encourage our warders to set good examples for prisoners.” They were also encouraged to treat prisoners humanely, he said.
Staff shortages were often exacerbated by shift patterns. “There are rest days for officials earning below a certain notch and this makes up mostly production workers.”
Nxele said Westville ranked number one with regard to gang violence and stabbing incidents, but other prisons in KZN were also problematic. They included Ncome Prison, in Vryheid, New Prison in Pietermaritzburg and Qalakabusha Prison, in Empangeni.
He said anti-gang strategies had been developed to root out gang activities in KZN prisons. Intelligence was gathered daily, many gang leaders had been identified and separated from their members, regular early morning raids were carried out and devices used to detect drugs, knives and guns.
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