Everson Luhanga
Ten inmates at Boksburg prison have ended up in hospital after 60 guards allegedly beat up prisoners and used dogs and tear gas in a dawn raid on Friday.
The alleged attack came days after the prisoners filed a 39 page formal complaint about the jailhouse boss, accusing him of a string of allegations including assault and failing to ensure proper living conditions in the prison.
On Friday, a large contingent of guards arrived at the prison, and clashed with inmates. Some of the confrontation was captured on video (above). In addition to the 10 in hospital, prison sources say 26 inmates have reportedly been moved to other two prisons.
The prisoners have now written to embattled National Commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services Arthur Fraser, detailing their complaints, and the events which led to the violent clashes.
It all began on 1 September when a group of prisoners filed a formal complaint about Hendrik Smith, the Head of the Correctional Centre of the Boksburg Correctional Services Medium A.
The prisoners, describing themselves as B-Section concerned inmates, accused him of:
-assaulting an inmate found with a cell phone
-using inmates to manufacture furniture
-failing to provide proper living conditions in the prison, including inadequate hot water, cleaning materials and food
-failing to provide sufficient social workers
On 8 September, Smith replied, saying he’d meet with two of the prisoner representatives on 16 September.
But on Friday 10 September, a large group of officials arrived as early as 4am and started harassing them and beating some inmates who had led the delegation.
Later the same day the prisoners wrote to Fraser, detailing what had happened and calling on him to intervene.
They said the guards specifically attacked one of the prisoner leaders, Thami Masuku and his cellmates.
After a standoff, another prison official called for backup. The letter says that at approximately 09h45, Smith arrived with reinforcements and the Dog Unit. They counted 60 guards, and then named those inmates who went to hospital.
“All the above-mentioned units used force and teargas to remove the inmates from the grounds and took them to a secluded location and continued to beat them up.”
Department of Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo confirmed the incident, but described it as a “surprise search” and a “normal procedure” in the Department of Correctional Services. He said prisoners had refused to be searched and that “officials took control of the situation by applying minimum force to rescue the situation and maintain calm.” He did not comment on the specific alleged beatings or hospitalisations.
