Back behind bars

An all-out battle by prison officials of the South African Custodial Management (SACM) was required to regain control of the Kutama Sinthumule Maximum Security Prison.

Some of the country’s most dangerous prisoners reportedly exploited an ongoing strike by SACM warders and went on the rampage in an attempt to take control of the prison. Louis Trichardt residents awoke to the news on Friday morning, 27 October, that more than 50 prisoners had escaped. Confirmation was received later, however, that only seven convicted criminals had escaped from the prison during the confusion.

Nobody was injured during the hostilities. 

According to unofficial sources, the wardens were neglecting their duties because of a dispute that they have with the SACM over their contribution towards the employees’ pension fund.

As the violence erupted last Thursday evening, outside help had to be called in urgently. The situation changed dramatically, however, after the rowdy crowd of prisoners managed to drag mattresses into a gymnasium hall and set them alight. (Watch a short video clip here).

The fire quickly spread and, in the process, clinics, a computer room, libraries, a kiosk and several offices were destroyed. Firemen from the Air Force Base Makhado had to be called in to help douse the flames.

Thick clouds of smoke could be seen billowing in the dark night sky as a continuous stream of reinforcements arrived.

Local police also came to the aid of the prison personnel to restore peace. Members of the local farm watch structures and Soutpansberg Town Watch assisted by raising a human barrier around the outer perimeter fence of the prison to prevent more prisoners from escaping.

According to the acting national commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr James Smalberger, they were relieved to find that none of the holding cells had been damaged. He was speaking to local media during an onsite visit at the prison on Saturday. Prisoners could be seen cleaning out the various buildings during the visit, under the watchful eye of heavily armed security guards.

Smalberger, however, did not want to comment on what exactly had transpired on Thursday night. “What has happened here in Kutama Sinthumule Correctional facility is a sheer act of criminality and it is something that the Department of Correctional Services can never tolerate,” was all Smalberger said in a prepared statement that he read out. He confirmed that the department has dispatched an emergency support team at the prison that will remain on site until the department is convinced that SACM is ready to run its full operations again. “We have instituted a full-scale investigation to expeditiously look into this incident,” said Smalberger.

Smalberger further expressed the department's gratitude for the support they had received from the South African Police Service to recapture five of the seven escapees. The police were praised for their swift reaction.

The first escapee, Chris Faku (37), was caught on Friday afternoon while hitchhiking along the Munnik/Bandelierkop road. On Saturday, Jabulani Isaac Mahlangu (31), Thomas Munyai (29) and Tshengedzeni Manuka (37) were arrested near Waterval. According to the police, the Waterval community supplied the information that led to their recapture. The following day, Justice Makamo (27) was arrested near Musina.

In the same court, two more suspects appeared who are accused of assisting some of the escapees by hiding them from the police. Phathutshedzo Funky Mugwena (20) and Netshiluwani Tshifhiwa Alycate (32) appeared immediately after the five escapees on single counts of defeating the ends of justice and the possession of stolen property.

According to the police, four of the escapees were allegedly discovered and arrested on a property that the two are renting. They are also accused of supplying the escapees with normal clothing.

The two were also not asked to plead but were released after they paid bail in the amount of R1 000. Their case, together with that of the five escapees, was postponed until 23 November.

At our time of going to press, Phathutshedzo Nemadodzi (34) from Dididi in Thohoyandou and Rapheal Nyota (30) from Harare, Zimbabwe, were still on the run from the police.

Date:03 November 2017

By: Isabel Venter

Isabel joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in 2009 as a reporter. She holds a BA Degree in Communication Sciences from the University of South Africa. Her beat is mainly crime and court reporting.

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