Sharp surge in prison overcrowding after fire at Kutama-Sinthumule
Inmates from the Kutama-Sinthumule maximum security prison had to be transferred to various prisons in areas such as Polokwane and Mahikeng after a fire broke out on August 7.
LIMPOPO – The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, revisited the Kutama-Sinthumule maximum security prison outside Louis Trichardt on August 17 to assess progress made after a part of the centre was set alight by prisoners on August 7.
The fire is believed to have been started by inmates who were protesting at the facility, demanding to be transferred to other prisons.
Read more: 3 000 inmates to be moved from Kutama-Sinthumule prison after fire
The incident resulted in the death of three prisoners, with another two succumbing in hospital to wounds sustained during the riots. In addition, 18 inmates were injured in the fire, which caused significant damage to sections of the prison.
One person has been charged with arson so far, with the possibility of more charges pending as investigations conclude.
Following the incident, hundreds of inmates had to spend the first night outside on the soccer field within the facility.
Read more: Fire causes ‘extensive damage’ to max security prison at Louis Trichardt
According to Lamola, the prisons houses 3 024 inmates, but will be left with 418 once the transfers have been finalised. Specialists are working diligently to assess the damage and the timeline for restoring the facility to full operation. Lamola stressed that the responsibility for bringing the facility back into operation lies with the operator, the South African Custodial Management.
By the time of the minister’s visit, 2 436 inmates have been transferred to various correctional centres across the country, but these facilities have been burdened in terms of numbers, he said.
“We have seen a sharp increase in the rates of overcrowding in these facilities. The maximum security facility at Makhado Correctional Centre’s rose from 219% to 235%, Polokwane Correctional Centre increased from 218% to 236%, and Rooigrond Correctional Centre surged from 147% to 171%. We are now at a critical phase to finalise the assessment and mop-up operations after the fire gutted this facility,” Lamola said.
Makgothi Thobakgale, the National commissioner of Correctional Services said they are awaiting post mortem reports to determine the cause of death of the inmates that died at Kutama-Sinthumule during the riots.
The evacuation process of prisoners is in progress, he said, with nearly 600 prisoners still waiting to be transferred.
Thobakgale noted that all the beds in the affected facility were lost in the fire.
