Durban: The family of slain inmate Sphandla Njilo, who succumbed to injuries and died in Glencoe prison after allegedly being brutally assaulted by prison warders, has pleaded with the government to provide them with answers so they may find closure.
Widow Tau Njilo said “three months after my husband’s horrific killing, no one has taken responsibility” and that her family and daughter still had no answers.
“My daughter is struggling at school and the teachers have asked that she go for counselling because she has not been copying with her school work after her father’s death,” she said.
Tau has accused officials at the northern KZN prison of not coming forward with the truth, and said her attempts to get answers during phone calls had proved fruitless.
“I get calls from his friends who are inmates asking what is happening because it appears that there is no progress. They are just as concerned as the rest of the family.”
Asked whether she had sought legal assistance, she explained that her lawyer who had volunteered to assist her was difficult to reach and it was unclear if he was still working on the case.
National Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said he would push for the provincial office to take action and provide a progress report on the investigation.
He added that it was also important for Correctional Services to be transparent.
“Every unnatural death that happens inside prison walls must be investigated so that the law takes its course,” said Nxumalo.
Thulani Mdluli, the provincial head of communications, did not respond to enquiries from the Daily News, which broke the story after Njilo was killed.
Njilo died on April 5 in Glencoe prison, and officials had said that the matter was being investigated.
An eyewitness, an inmate who was transferred to another prison, alleged that Njilo was killed by warders after he had defended himself against another inmate who he had injured during a fight.
He claimed to have helplessly watched as the warders manhandled Njilo at an office within the facility and dragged him back to the cell after the alleged beating.
Further, he alleged that warders took pictures of a dying Njilo immediately after dumping him back in his cell to cover up the incident and make it look as if prisoners were involved in a fight that led to Njilo’s death.
The inmate also alleged that the prison was placed in a total shutdown as officials spoke and threatened inmates not to say a word about what had occurred.
After inmates were allegedly told what to say, officials called Njilo’s family and informed them of his “unfortunate” death.
Prison officials had previously denied that Njilo was killed by warders and claimed that he died after a fight between inmates.
The Daily News