‘Fix human element first’ or prison body scanner plan won’t work

SA Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights president Golden Miles Bhudu has welcomed the decision to tighten security at prisons to prevent drug smuggling, but with some provisos.

But Bhudu urged Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola to “fix the human element” first if his plan was to work.

Yesterday, Lamola was spitting fire as he vowed to introduce body scanners to stop the smuggling of illegal substances into major prisons.

Lamola, one of the youngest members of Ramaphosa’s new Cabinet, announced yesterday he would introduce regular patrols, frequent cell searches, control over objects entering correctional centres, and full searches of visitors.

He said in Cape Town yesterday that all these measures would be monitored closely by management.

This followed recent video footage of inmates openly taking a white substance believed to be an illegal drug.

In another video, prison officials were seen agitating inmates to fight among themselves.

After this, the department conducted a search operation in the identified cell and the contraband was found.

Some of the items confiscated were 41 tablets of Mandrax, 334 slopes of dagga, seven packages of dagga, six cellphones, four cellphone chargers, eight earpieces, four SIM cards, one smoking pipe and one memory stick.

The three inmates identified on the video recording were transferred to the ultramax correctional facility, eBongweni in Kokstad.

The prison, from which escape is said to be impossible, is a referral centre for hardened criminals and inmates with extreme behavioural challenges.

Lamola said safety and security in correctional facilities was paramount and it must be clearly understood that security controls were non-negotiable.

The department said the prisons where body scanner searches would be implemented were Durban Correctional Facility, St Albans Correctional Facility in Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg Correctional Facility (also known as Sun City), Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Facility in Pretoria, Pollsmoor in Cape Town and Barbeton and Groenpunt Maximum Correctional Facilities in the Free State.

Bhudu said use of metal detectors or full body scanners were nothing new. He said a Bosasa subsidiary, Sondolo IT, had previously installed various systems, including close-circuit TVs, but illegal contraband, cellphones, dagga and other substances continued to be smuggled into prisons.

“It’s the human factor that they must fix,” he said. “If humans do not understand that these things should not come into prisons, it’s waste of time.

“These systems are still in the prisons, but they were not functioning and ended up turning into white elephants.

“One needs to be mindful about who is going to get the new tender, which is very important.

“But this organisation would like to work with the minister of correctional services from the side of the prisoners and members of the community to ensure that they do not get involved in smuggling contraband into prisons.

“The department cannot do this by themselves. They can get the best corrections officials, but if they don’t know how to deal with this, the problem is going to continue.”

Lamola urged officials at correctional centres to maintain professional conduct at all times to avoid repeats of these unfortunate episodes.

“This will ensure that the provision of a safe and secure environment, as well as the creation of an enabling environment for correction and rehabilitation, is realised,” he said.

“This will propel a coordination of systematic interventions aimed at preventing, minimising and, eventually, eliminating all corrupt and negligent practices that may jeopardise the personal safety of inmates, staff and service providers.”

– ericn@citizen.co.za

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