Attack on prison wardens was an incident ‘waiting to happen’

AFTER prisoners attacked correctional service officials with a lock, their union said it was an attack waiting to happen.

The five officers were apparently attacked as part of a gang initiation ritual and had since been discharged from hospital.

Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said they were saddened by yet another “unfortunate and predictable attack” on prison officials and felt that the conditions of employment and safety of their members were compromised on a daily basis.

“The attack was predictable because we are aware of the high rate of overcrowding and understand that Pollsmoor Prison has an understaffing issue. Most correctional officials have been resigning due to the unresponsive attitude the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) ,” he said.

Mamabolo said the department of correctional services recruitment colleges took in an average of 1000 students per year while the prison population was growing on a daily basis.

The ratio between officials and inmates was on the increase.

He said the department needed to form strategies that would help to reduce the prison population rate. Strategies included ensuring inmates did not remain idle within correctional centres and had programmes that would skill them and ensure the facilities became self-sustainable.”

The Sonke Gender Justice Programme said they were satisfied with the progress and short term solutions of the overcrowding issue at the prison. On February 27, the facility was at 174% capacity and reduced to 161%. But, the organisation says they were saddened to hear officials were attacked on two consecutive days.

“If there was not an understaffing issue then there was going to be sufficient support and back up. Understaffing can affect many things within a prison and the department should push the safety of both the officials and offenders.