‘Operation Vala’ to deter prison breaks

Correctional Services Acting national Commissioner Zach Modise launched Operation Vala which is to ensure a safe and secure festive season for prisoners. The launch was at Johannesburg Correctional Center. Here members of the media are given a demonstration of how an escape by prisoners is thwarted, 271114 Picture: Boxer Ngwenya

Correctional Services Acting national Commissioner Zach Modise launched Operation Vala which is to ensure a safe and secure festive season for prisoners. The launch was at Johannesburg Correctional Center. Here members of the media are given a demonstration of how an escape by prisoners is thwarted, 271114 Picture: Boxer Ngwenya

Published Nov 28, 2014

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Prison inmates are desperate to escape at this time of the year.

Some attempt to do it in the hope of seeing their families and friends during the festive season, while others try to go and commit more crimes.

It’s for this reason that the Department of Correctional Services launched “Operation Vala” (Lock Up) on Thursday, at the Joburg Correctional Centre.

Acting national commissioner Zach Modise said the aim of the operation was to tighten security within all the centres and to increase supervision among officials and detainees.

“We are going to be enhancing security at all access points… doing periodic spot checks… adhering to strict visiting hours and (conducting) searches,” he said.

Officials will also be confining and minimising the movement of the detainees within the prisons.

They will be doing spot checks, attending to complaints immediately and providing support to the inmates.

Modise said for this to work, they would be introducing inmate indoor games to reduce boredom in prison.

These include netball, five-a-side soccer, volleyball, cricket, tug-of-war and aerobics, as well as indoor games such as chess, boxing, draughts, pool, karate, African games and a version of Jika Majika (a dancing competition).

Modise said they were urging the public to not attempt to smuggle in items that may assist the inmates to escape. He said those who tried to do this would be charged.

The number of escapes had fallen significantly by 95.9 percent since 1994. For the 2012/13 year, the department had 59 escapees and 60 escapees for 2013/14.

“Some of the challenges we face are the low levels of family visits,” he said.

Modise said prisoners needed support from loved their ones. He asked families to continue visiting and to maintain contact with their imprisoned relatives, especially younger inmates.

“Incarceration diminishes and undermines family connections,” he said.

Yesterday, emergency support teams and the tactical and high-risk teams demonstrated the security measures they had in place to handle the festive season.

Several inmates and juvenile awaiting-trialists attended the exhibition.

Modise and the sporting bodies present signed a memorandum of understanding, agreeing to provide their services to help with all the activities.

The operation started on Tuesday and will continue until January 13. Officials said they would look into taking the games further and introducing their own championship games to lift everyone’s spirit at this time.

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The Star

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