Sandiso Phaliso
CELLPHONES and chargers, dagga parcels, scissors, clock radios, spoons and electrical appliances were some of the items confiscated when Correctional Services officials raided inmates’ cells in Pollsmoor Prison yesterday.
One of the cellphones was found hidden under the soil in the exercise section and another cellphone was found in a bag of sugar.
In one of the cells officials found several prison uniforms, which they said they suspected a prisoner was going to sell to an inmate.
Mattresses were turned upside down and clothing searched for anything suspicious or illegal.
The raid coincided with the launch of the annual Operation Vala.
The countrywide operation is aimed at beefing up Correctional centres over the festive season.
Provincial Correctional Services commissioner Delekile Klaas said the department was prompted to launch the campaign after realising that most escapes happened towards or during the festive season.
He said the inmates escaped because they wanted to spend the festive season with their families, while some escaped to commit other crimes.
Klaas said he was aware there were a number of corrupt officials who themselves were “criminals camouflaged in the department’s uniform” and were helping inmates smuggle illegal items into the prison.
Klaas said because of the operation most officials would not be granted their annual leave until the end of the operation in January.
“For us it is a working festive season,” said Klaas.
He said the department was in talks with the Justice Department to prosecute inmates found in possession of illegal items.
Addressing the officials before the raid, Klaas said: “We are the ones that must make sure that our centres are safe.
“We are encouraging our officials to search to make sure no illegal substances are in the cells.
“Cellphones become dangerous weapons as they are used to conduct hits,” said Klaas, adding that the department was using cellphone detectors to see which inmates had cellphones in their cells.
“The most important thing for me is to educate the public not to give cellphones to the inmates, because by doing so they are indirectly playing a part in the crimes committed by inmates using these cellphones,” said Klaas.
Provincial spokesperson Simphiwe Xako said the raid was to ensure that South Africans were safe from crime as they spent time with their loved ones. Xako said inmates used radios to trip electricity and spoons and scissors as weapons.
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