Warders allegedly killed inmate after colleagues attacked

THE JUDICIAL Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JCIS), the Department of Correctional Services and the SAPS are investigating the death of an inmate – allegedly at the hands of Drakenstein prison warders – following “tit-for-tat” attacks.

According to a source, a group of five inmates armed to the teeth with make-shift knives stabbed and wounded four warders in the Drakenstein prison on Wednesday, February 8.

The warders then rounded up the five prisoners and beat them up with batons, the source said.

The incident happened just as prison guards from the Brandvlei maximum prison in Worcester – Quinton de Wee, Sakhele Dondolo, Ebrahim May and Alson Setera – are appearing in court for the first time in eight years for allegedly setting dogs on and viciously beating to death Lubabalo Mzamo in January 2015.

The source said the department had been trying to “cover up” the recent “tit-for-tat” attack that led to the death in Drakenstein, as the department issued responses to the media that only reflected the knife attack, and not the murder, on the day of the incident and the days that followed.

Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo confirmed the death of convicted rapist Chibani Mgwamdla, 26, who is one of those who attacked the prison warders last week.

“We are aware of one inmate from the five that attacked officials having passed on in hospital on February 8, 2023.

“The cause of death is yet to be determined,” Nxumalo said.

Pressed on why the department didn’t mention the killing in media responses, Nxumalo said: “We responded to (media) enquiries received after the incident, and at that point no death was reported as there was none.

“A death notice was only received later on in the day and we needed to inform the family as a matter of urgency.”

JCIS spokesperson Emerentia Cupido said the entity has launched an investigation into the matter.

The police had not responded to questions by the time of publication.