Last week’s bloodbath at Pollsmoor prison where three inmates were killed and two guards injured, appears to have been a deliberate act of defiance and an attempt to reassert gang dominance in response to the Correctional Services Department’s renewed enforcement of discipline and order.

IoL reports that one of the inmates involved in the attack on prison staff was reportedly a self-proclaimed ‘general’ of the 26 gang.

Correctional Services Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale yesterday noted that his last visit to Pollsmoor Management Area was on 29 September when he introduced a team deployed by the head office tasked with stabilising the Pollsmoor Remand Detention Facility. 

‘Their deployment followed a thorough assessment that identified several operational and systemic weaknesses which demanded urgent intervention to restore order, accountability, and security,’ Thobakgale said.

Among measures introduced was the introduction of a biometric fingerprint system, the return of 33 experienced officials to the Remand Detention Facility to strengthen supervision and tightening of movement controls.

‘This inevitably provoked resistance and resentment among those who had benefited from the previous state of affairs, creating tensions that, regrettably, culminated in the incident of 29 October,’ Thobakgale said.

IoL notes that Thobakgale also announced the appointment of Ntomboxolo Kungune as the new Area Commissioner for Pollsmoor.

‘Her extensive experience, most recently as Area Commissioner of Drakenstein, will be invaluable in steering this Management Area toward renewal and improved performance. The team deployed by head office on 29 September will remain on site to sustain the momentum, oversee the implementation of corrective measures, and guide the transition toward a secure, compliant, and rehabilitative environment.’

Full IoL report