Durban - Inmates who say they are fed up with treatment they are getting at the St Albans Prison went on a riot this week. Footage of the riot was sent to the Daily News this morning.
In the video an inmate speaking in Xhosa tells the person filming to point the camera in the direction where the burning kitchen is visible.
"We are fed up with these people, they are mistreating us. We are fed up, they kill our fellow inmates. Let them burn," the one inmate shouts as the camera does a pan of the commotion.
Another inmate is heard shouting: " We are dying here in St Albans, we will show them".
Fed up inmates at the St Albans Prison in PE in the Eastern Cape went on riot this week burning sheets and throwing these out their windows
Video: Supplied
They also call out a name of an official at the prison calling for his removal.
According to media reports, inmates were tested for Covid-19 at two Eastern Cape prisons; East London Correctional Centre and St Albans prison outside Port Elizabeth.
By April 14, prisons accounted for 79 cases out of 174 in the coronavirus outbreak in the Eastern Cape.
Department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said the cases include 53 inmates and 25 officials at the East London Correctional Centre and the department’s provincial head office, and one official testing positive at St Albans prison outside Port Elizabeth.
He confirmed the riot took place at St Albans this week and added inmates were demanding they be taken to courts and be given cigarettes.
"We cannot do things outside the lockdown regulations. Courts are managing the roll and will be issuing dates for remand detainees to appear. And the sale of cigarette is not permissible under level four. The investigation is under way and all those involved in destroying state property will be charged criminally."
Towards the end of last year, inmates at the prison made contact with the media saying their rights were being violated.
This was after a warder was stabbed in the neck and an inmate was killed in September.
The prison has a history of violence and has seen the department having to place a task force team in the prison in the past.