DURBAN - DESPITE an "intense investigation" by social media police, the couple filmed having sex on camera at a KwaZulu-Natal correctional facility, are not married.
This morning, a spokesperson from the department set the record straight after social media “detectives” conducted a deep search of the woman’s Facebook account, which has since been deleted, and pieced together a narrative explaining that the official and the inmate were a couple, therefore, their act was not a crime.
"It is not true that the inmate and official are married," spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said.
He also rubbished rumours that the inmate had killed herself.
He said the official has faced disciplinary action and has since been issued with a letter of suspension.
Nxumalo said the department was "appalled, embarrassed and gutted" by the video.
He said the video, which has been shared and viewed thousands of times on social media, was recorded at the Ncome Correctional Centre in KZN.
"Sexual activities between inmates and correctional officials are shameful incidents that can never be ascribed to what is expected of our officials," he said.
It is unclear if any action will be taken against the prisoner.
The department has also asked the public to refrain from sharing the video on social media.
Meanwhile, the video once again shines the spotlight on prisoners having access to cellphones.
IOL previously reported that, in a bid to clamp down on the smuggling of contraband in prison, Minister Ronald Lamola said the department would install body scanners at at least six correctional centres across the country.
Lamola said there had been 181 cases of smuggling contraband in the past 12 months countrywide. He said Gauteng led with 121 cases, followed by Eastern Cape with 17 cases, KwaZulu-Natal 14, Western Cape 13, Limpopo and Mpumalanga nine, Free State and Northern Cape seven.
IOL