Teams crack down on weapons at prison

THE Department of Correctional Services’ emergency support has confiscated a cellphone, a charger, sharp shaving blades and a few self-made knives at the Goodwood correctional facility following a joint searchand-seizure operations with police.

The crackdown at the facility, involving close to 150 police officers, followed an attack on two wardens who were stabbed by a prisoner while they were unlocking cell C10 in order to prepare daily meals.

Both wardens were rushed to the N1 City Hospital, where they were treated for the injuries and later discharged.

The motivation behind the attack on Sunday was believed to be gang-related.

According to the department, accounts received from other inmates revealed that an offender who had been transferred from St Albans in Port Elizabeth had bragged to the other offenders that he was a general of the 28s gang.

He was then immediately forced to prove his claims, which was when he allegedly stabbed the officials.

Department spokesperson Simphiwe Xako said: “At around noon members of the department’s emergency support team were reinforced by close to 150 officers from the SAPS in conducting searchand-seizure operations in the affected cells at the correctional facility.

“One cellular phone, a charger, sharp shaving blades and a few self-made knives were confiscated.

‘‘The culprit was isolated from the rest of the offender population and is currently incarcerated in a single cell.”

The department said provincial commissioner Delekile Klaas held a lengthy meeting with the provincial police commissioner regarding intensifying proactive and effective mechanisms of detecting any similar future potential incidents; the spiralling gang activities in correctional facilities around the province; and strengthening other areas of co-operation between the two institutions.

Also yesterday, an inmate at the prison had boiling water thrown over him and was rushed to hospital.

Last month, six inmates escaped from the Medium B section of Pollsmoor Prison, using a metal object. All six convicts were nabbed within 48 hours.