BY PHUMLANI SAUL
Security measures stepped up ahead of festive season, officials say
Jail cells housing more than 1,900 inmates, many serving lengthy terms, were raided at St Albans prison on Thursday night.
Emergency security officials in riot gear, led by correctional services national commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale and acting regional commissioner Lucky Mthethwa, raided cell blocks during the operation, searching for contraband and other controlled substances.
A procession of footsteps signalled the start of the raid at the maximum security section of the jail as the emergency prison security swooped on seven cells.
Nearly five hours later, with the inmates back in their cells, the 55-person security team from six management areas, including St Albans, Kirkwood, East London and Mthatha, had netted 185 contraband items.
Among the seized items were:
A padlock;
A dagga pipe and other dagga paraphernalia;
Smart TV converter;
TV converter adapter;
Smart TV remote;
Huawei Wi-Fi router;
21 cellphones;
29 dagga slope;
38 cellphone accessories;
38 tik rolls; and
49 dagga rolls.
Officials also confiscated R553 in cash.
“We did the raid as part of our normal security operations,” Thobakgale, who was appointed prisons boss in September, said.
“It focused on St Albans Correctional Facility for the past two or three days.
“We aim to keep clean facilities, first in terms of contraband like cellphones and unlawful objects.
“This is also to help the offenders keep a clean record.
“If they don’t, we have to mete out discipline.”
He said information about the raid at St Albans had been highly confidential.Our operational plans are communicated through very strict channels.
“Even the specialised task team involved did not know the units [until the raid went ahead].”
With correctional centres experiencing an increase in admissions, assaults and contraband smuggling ahead of the festive season, according to officials, intensified security measures had to be undertakenA national plan focusing on operational security at SA’s 143 prisons will be launched in Mpumalanga on November 30.
Thobakgale said he was pleased with the raid, adding wardens were encouraged to observe standard operating procedures daily.
“Officials should examine and inspect the cells every day.
“In the morning, when offenders go for breakfast, we should inspect cells, checking for any objects inmates could use [to commit an] escape.”
He said movement inside the centre and patrols along the perimeter fencing would help to minimise prison escapes.
“We only experienced 21 escapes in the 2021/2022 financial year, arresting 16.”
In its annual report released in August, the department indicated the number of inmates who escaped from correctional facilities totalled 22 out of 143,223 prisonersSeven inmates, five awaiting conviction, escaped from Makhanda prison in October.
They managed to make their way out after “compromising the window bars”, Thobakgale said.
Of the seven, three have since been arrested.
“Working with the police, we’re still pursuing the other five [escapees], and our information points to getting the offenders back.”
Correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said officials conducted the search operation in line with approved policies to protect inmate rights.
He said no inmate had a request or complaint following the security operation.
“Offenders were locked up at their respective houses after searching.
“All the items confiscated will be handled as per the security standard operating procedures.
“Correctional services will hand the cellphones to the police for forensic checks and disciplinary steps will be taken against the relevant culprits.”.
Daily Kasi News 