Prisoners’ rights activist and founder of the South African Prisoners’ Organisation for Human Rights (SAPOHR), Golden Miles Bhudu, says he does not believe the Department of Correctional Services has what it takes to turn the tide against the grip of criminal gangs that have taken over operations in some of the country’s correctional facilities.
Bhudu was reacting to Correctional Services National Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale’s claims that various gangs have infiltrated correctional facilities.
Thobakgale testified before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in Pretoria on Thursday, where he detailed the activities of prison gangs and how they had allegedly captured correctional services officials.
Speaking on the YOU FM Newshour, Bhudu said the allegations were not new and that it appeared unlikely that the department would ever resolve the problem.
“I’m not convinced that the Department of Correctional Services will ever turn that tide.
“With this kind of information coming from a national commissioner, don’t you think that an independent judicial commission of inquiry should have been established by now? I’m talking about a commission of inquiry that will investigate, establish the facts and make recommendations to send those found to be on the wrong side of the law to prison,” said Bhudu.
He agreed with Thobakgale that high-profile inmates had actively attempted to manipulate senior correctional services officials in order to secure favourable work allocations and cell placements.
“There’s always this kind of influence because there are very wealthy sentenced and ‘unsentenced’ inmates who have long, deep pockets, and correctional officers are easily captured and corrupted.
“Some of them will tell you that they work under extremely traumatising conditions, and they’re underpaid and overtaxed. They’re soon going to be over the hill, so they make side incomes, kickbacks and brown envelopes on the side in the meantime,” Bhudu explained.
He maintained that some correctional centre operations had effectively been surrendered to prison gang networks, allowing criminals to coordinate illicit activities both inside and outside correctional facilities with relative ease.
“Of course, yes, correctional facilities in this country are chronically overcrowded. They have acknowledged that repeatedly. By the way, many years ago, I made a submission to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
“I also made a submission to the very first Commission of Inquiry, led by Justice Johan Kriegler, which was established by the late former President Nelson Mandela.
“Similar submissions were also made to the Judge Thabani Jali Commission. But what is ironic is that I have never been called before any of these commissions, including the current Madlanga Commission, to share what I know about what is happening in our correctional facilities,” Bhudu said.
Meanwhile, Thobakgale revealed that convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester had repeatedly attempted to target and manipulate senior officials in order to secure the commissioner’s direct attention.
He added that, due to the high risk of security breaches, he now personally receives notifications and oversees transit tracking whenever high-risk accused persons, such as attempted-murder accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, are moved.
