As the police continue their search for the remaining two of seven escapees from the Kutama Sinthumule correctional centre, the facility’s management has suspended seventeen workers in relation to last week’s work stoppage.
However, the Secretary-General of the Union for Police, Security and Corrections Organisation (UPSCO) Lawrence Makatu says they will not take this lying down, adding that their attorneys are now handling the matter.
Makatu is one of the 17 work- ers that have been suspended by the prison for what he calls, ‘trumped up’ charges, which in- clude; incitement of illegal strike action and holding members of management hostage on the day seven inmates escaped from the facility.
He denies that workers were engaged on a work stoppage last Thursday, saying they were instead in a prolonged meeting with the management of the South African Custodial Management (SACM) over long-standing pension disputes. Adding that when workers did not receive favourable answers, they refused to go back to their posts and inmates took ad- vantage of the situation.
Several parts of the facility were torched and vandalised on the night of the escape.
The Acting National Commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services James Small berger visited the facility on Saturday and called for heads to roll, “The warders who were on duty when the inmates escaped must be dealt with harshly.”
The department deployed the Emergency Support Team (EST), supported by the SAPS and Neighbourhood Watch to restore stability.
The National Acting commissioner says, “As the custodians of corrections in this country, we will ensure that our emergency support team will remain on site until we are convinced that the contractor is ready to run its full operations.” Adding that, “It is still too early to jump to conclusion and say whether this is an inside job or not”.
The Acting commissioner and his team went on a walk – about in the facility and observed that the majority of the damage was on the support structures such as clinics, computer room, libraries, kiosk, gymnasium hall, and offices. “We must make it clear that the cells did not incur any damages and remain safe and secure to accommodate offenders,” says Smallberger. Meanwhile, the five inmates who were rearrested appeared briefly in the Louis Trichardt Magistrate court on Tuesday. The five, Jabulani Mahlangu, Ntshengedzeni Manukha, Ntshavheni Munyai, Chris Faku and Justice Makamu were remanded in custody until 23 November 2017 for further police investigations.
Pathutshedzo Funky Mugwena and Tshifhiwa Netshiluwani also appeared in the same court for harbouring four of the escapees and their case was also postponed to 23 November, however, they were granted R1000 bail each.
