Update
KNYSNA NEWS - What actually transpired during a prison attack more a month ago is still unclear as official investigations are under way, but in the meantime the Knysna-Plett Herald has been asked to tell the stories of an eyewitness and the mother of the prisoner who she says was severely injured.
The prisoner who was stabbed has since laid a charge of assault against the warder.
On Sunday 18 February, Southern Cape police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie said an inmate had attacked a prison official at Knysna Correctional Services at about 15:30.
'Sharp instrument used'
According to Pojie, the prisoner used a sharpened instrument during the attack. "It is alleged the 50-year-old victim, an on-duty prison warder, visited a cell inside the prison when he was grabbed from behind by an inmate.
"The suspect stabbed the warder with a sharp object, who sustained injuries to his face and head. He was taken to hospital for medical treatment, but was discharged later,” Pojie said at the time, adding that it was not known why the warder was attacked and that the public order policing (POP) unit from George was deployed to assist prison authorities and order was restored at the prison.
Assault charge
Pojie also said at that stage that the police opened a case of assault and grievous bodily harm against the prisoner, and that there would be an internal investigation by Correctional Services as well as an investigation by the SAPS detective branch. To date there has been no update on either investigation despite asking.
Furore on social media
Reports posted on the Knysna-Plett Herald’s (KPH) Facebook page at the time evoked wide reaction, which included comments from the family of the warder asking to be left alone since there were two sides to this story – but they did not want to give an on-the-record response while the investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile the newspaper was read in prison and elicited a visit from a prisoner who was eyewitness to the attack. The man, who did not want to be named, said his first stop out of prison on the morning of 28 February was at this newspaper to tell the truth, as he and other prisoners claim it happened.
"The truth must come out"
“There are two sides to this story. Inmates have heard what has been said in the newspaper and on Facebook, and want the truth to come out. Both men were wrong on the day, so we can’t just make the prisoner the guilty party,” said the 35-year-old, adding that he wanted something good to come out of the situation.
According to the man, comments on social media of this incident being connected to gangs within the prison were completely untrue.
“It was a matter between this warder and the inmate – no gangs were involved in the attack, although the prisoner does belong to a gang. But so do I – I belong to a rival gang,” he said.
All about a cellphone
The man said that on the day of the incident, warders were apparently following up on information that the prisoner in question had a cellphone on him, “which we are not allowed to have”.
“They called the phone and as the inmate answered they knew exactly where he was at the time, in his room, which is shared by more than 40 of us. Four or five warders came in with the warder that was attacked in front. As he walked past me – I was about 5m away from the prisoner involved – I saw the warder opening a five-star Okapi knife with his left hand.
“He immediately told the prisoner to give him the cellphone, and soon he grabbed it from the prisoner. He threatened the prisoner in a way, saying in Afrikaans that the inmate could do what he wants because he is ready for him,” said the man.
Warden alleged to have a weapon
He added that at this point the warder placed the knife back into his pocket. “Warders are not allowed to have any weapons so I don’t know why this guy had one. But he has been attacked before as well, and always has a bad attitude towards the inmates,” he said.
According to the man, the inmates went to lunch 15 to 20 minutes after this. When all the inmates got outside of their room he could see the prisoner and warder “wrestling” with each other. “I couldn’t see exactly what was going on but I think this is where the prisoner stabbed the warden. I heard later he used a dart,” said the man.
'Prisoner escaped'
Then, he said, the prisoner somehow escaped from the warder, and at this point the rest of the warders sent the inmates back to their cell.
“The prisoner walked away at this point but the warder went after him and drew his knife, calling to the prisoner. At one point the prisoner was sort of running around the courtyard to get away. I think he saw the knife and picked up a broom which he broke in half. He dropped it soon after, but I don’t know why.
“The prisoner then ran into more warders who held him. I couldn’t see exactly how many of them as it was behind a pillar. When the prisoner again got himself loose somehow and came out from behind the pillar, I could see the blood all over him,” said the man.
Injured inmate 'vanishes'
He added that up until the time of his visit to the KPH office, the specific inmate had not been seen again. “He was taken to hospital and I heard he was sent to a different prison after that, with maximum security.”
The man said the warder in question has a serious anger problem, and that he himself has had run-ins with him. He said it was the second time this warder was involved in an incident since he got there in 2015.
“I believe Correctional Services want to make this a gang-related issue to keep their side clean because the inmates don’t stand a chance,” he said.
'We all got a hiding'
He said that even after the inmate was removed, it was other inmates who bore the brunt of the backlash from police and correctional officials. “We all got a hiding after that, even opposition gang members to the inmate who got stabbed got a hiding,” he added.
This former inmate said he would like to bring the matter to the attention of the human rights commission because conditions in the prison and treatment of prisoners need to be investigated.
Mother 'never notified'
The day after the paroled prisoner's visit, the injured prisoner's mother – who will remain anonymous for now – also approached Knysna-Plett Herald.
According to her she found out about her son being admitted to hospital purely by chance. “It is now day 11 after the incident and I have heard nothing from Correctional Services,” she said on 1 March.
Found out 'purely by chance'
She came to know about her son’s condition when a neighbour mentioned she saw him being admitted to hospital on 18 February. “I went to the hospital the next day and they told me he had been released, which wasn’t true as he was apparently in ICU until the Wednesday,” she said.
She only found this out after her son phoned her from George on 24 February. “He told me he had been stabbed four times and that his lung was punctured,” she added.
“It feels like Correctional Services have failed me, but I hope that the justice system will not,” she said, adding that her son has opened a case against the warder.
She also believes that both her son and the warder were at fault. “Justice must prevail and both men must pay for what they have done,” she said.
The inmate's sister, who accompanied their mother to KPH, wants correctional services to be held accountable for what has happened, and for the lack of contact from their side.
“Yes, he was wrong, but he is still her son, even though others might treat him like trash. It was very upsetting to see her go through that pain and confusion of not knowing what has happened to him. She has spent nights without sleep,” she said.
Authorities respond to prison stabbing
According to Southern Cape Department of Correctional Services (DCS) spokesperson Johan Pienaar, a departmental investigation into the matter involving a prison warder and inmate is still in process and the warder is still on sick leave.
Pienaar referred queries regarding the inmate opening a case to the Knysna police, “as the investigation is still in process”. He added that the allegations made by the anonymous former inmate, that the inmate involved in the stabbing was also stabbed by the warder, form part of the investigation by police as well as DCS and is still in process.
'Security equipment' for warders
When asked what warders are allowed to carry with them while on duty, Pienaar said that officials are allowed to be in possession of only "security equipment" issued by DCS, and for which members have to sign in a register before their shift and hand in again after their shift.
Regarding the prisoner being taken to hospital, moved to a facility in George, and local DCS not contacting the mother of the inmate, Pienaar said, “The inmate was reclassified to a maximum security category due to his attack on the member (warder) and Knysna Centre does not accommodate inmates classified as a maximum security risk.
'Security was at risk'
“DCS do not contact families directly when cases are transferred from one centre to another, but give inmates the opportunity to inform their families accordingly, prior to their transfers. In cases such as the one under discussion where security could be at risk due to available information at the time or different gang members are transferred, they will only be allowed to contact their families after arrival at the centre to which they have been transferred. The inmate under discussion contacted his family once he arrived in George.”
When asked to confirm the injuries sustained by both warder and inmate, Pienaar said that personal information pertaining to an inmate or member is considered confidential and can not be discussed.
'No other complaints'
Regarding allegations that this was the second incident the specific warder was involved in since he came to Knysna, Pienaar said that no such complaints about the member were brought to management’s attention before.
“The head of centre confirmed that the member is known to be always alert and doing his job properly. These types of incidents where inmates assault members do occur from time to time as in the case where an inmate of Knysna recently poured boiling water over a member,” he added.
Asked what DCS is doing to stop incidents like these from happening, Pienaar said that both offenders and officials are continuously sensitised during parades and meetings to refrain from assaults.
According to Knysna police spokesperson Sergeant Chris Spies, the inmate in question has opened an assault case against the warder and the police is investigating the matter.
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