A spate of attacks on Eastern Cape correctional services employees this year has left many prison warders fearing for their lives.
This year alone 21 warders have been stabbed – all at St Albans Correctional Centre outside Port Elizabeth – leading to calls for more staff to man the province’s prisons.
Officials yesterday said they feared going to work in the mornings as they never knew if they would return home alive.
In one of the latest incidents at St Albans, five officials were stabbed by prisoners, and were rushed to hospital along with four prisoners who were allegedly assaulted by other prison officials in the scuffle.
Warders have now threatened a walk-out, alleging prison management is more concerned about the injured prisoners than them.
Department of Correctional Services (DCS) spokesman Zama Feni confirmed the incident.
“The five officials working at Medium A remand detention centre were attacked by four awaiting-trial detainees.
“They were armed with knives and this happened in the courtyard of the prison,” said Feni.
Attacks like these have been on the increase since 2012, when a warder was shot dead by an inmate in Barkly East. Last year four cases of stabbings were reported in the Eastern Cape.
An official who wanted to remain anonymous told the Dispatch he was stabbed three times at St Albans and has since left his position in the cells to work “somewhere” else in the prison.
“I was stabbed because I caught an inmate who was selling drugs.
“Their intention was to kill me and I had no choice but to report them,” he said.
“Each time I left for work I was scared that I would not make it back home alive.”
Another warder in East London said: “We don’t know who will be next. Maybe the management will only act when we die here.”
Last Wednesday Correctional Services Deputy Minister Thabang Makwetla visited St Albans just before the stabbings took place.
He told the officials that violence at the prison had stabilised but a day later warders were stabbed.
South African Correctional Services Workers Union (Sacoswu) provincial secretary Lando Sam said: “One of the prisoners who stabbed the members last week was also involved in another stabbing that saw one of them dying last year.
“We should have taken him to a C-Max prison, he’s dangerous.”
Sacoswu president Toney Plaatjies called for more prison warders, saying the attacks had become a crisis.
“One stabbing is one too many and this has become chronic. The management need to act now,” he said. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Prison warders threaten walk-out
This year alone 21 warders have been stabbed – all at St Albans Correctional Centre outside Port Elizabeth – leading to calls for more staff to man the province’s prisons.
Officials yesterday said they feared going to work in the mornings as they never knew if they would return home alive.
In one of the latest incidents at St Albans, five officials were stabbed by prisoners, and were rushed to hospital along with four prisoners who were allegedly assaulted by other prison officials in the scuffle.
Warders have now threatened a walk-out, alleging prison management is more concerned about the injured prisoners than them.
Department of Correctional Services (DCS) spokesman Zama Feni confirmed the incident.
“The five officials working at Medium A remand detention centre were attacked by four awaiting-trial detainees.
“They were armed with knives and this happened in the courtyard of the prison,” said Feni.
Attacks like these have been on the increase since 2012, when a warder was shot dead by an inmate in Barkly East. Last year four cases of stabbings were reported in the Eastern Cape.
An official who wanted to remain anonymous told the Dispatch he was stabbed three times at St Albans and has since left his position in the cells to work “somewhere” else in the prison.
“I was stabbed because I caught an inmate who was selling drugs.
“Their intention was to kill me and I had no choice but to report them,” he said.
“Each time I left for work I was scared that I would not make it back home alive.”
Another warder in East London said: “We don’t know who will be next. Maybe the management will only act when we die here.”
Last Wednesday Correctional Services Deputy Minister Thabang Makwetla visited St Albans just before the stabbings took place.
He told the officials that violence at the prison had stabilised but a day later warders were stabbed.
South African Correctional Services Workers Union (Sacoswu) provincial secretary Lando Sam said: “One of the prisoners who stabbed the members last week was also involved in another stabbing that saw one of them dying last year.
“We should have taken him to a C-Max prison, he’s dangerous.”
Sacoswu president Toney Plaatjies called for more prison warders, saying the attacks had become a crisis.
“One stabbing is one too many and this has become chronic. The management need to act now,” he said. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
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