Security concerns have been raised at correctional facilities in the city after prison warders were issued with suspension letters.
SECURITY concerns have been raised at correctional facilities in the city after prison warders were issued with suspension letters.
Emergency support team security personnel were stationed at Kimberley Correctional Centre yesterday to prevent the suspended officials from “trespassing” on the Kimberley Correctional Centre and Tswelopele Correctional Centre grounds, where the police were apparently also called in to intervene.
The suspension letters were issued after the warders continued to report for duty at Kimberley Correctional Centre after they were transferred to Tswelopele Correctional Centre.
Officials meanwhile claimed that they were being bullied, victimised and intimidated by senior officials in the department, and believed that they were being targeted and were the victims of a witch-hunt.
“Some of us are shop stewards or officials who blew the whistle on the misuse of fuel cards and the theft of fuel. It cannot be a coincidence that all employees who petitioned for an investigation to be launched against the area commissioner were all suspended. It appears as if there is malicious intent to expose warders to dangerous working conditions at Tswelopele Correctional Centre, where the motive is for them to get physically hurt,” they said.
They added that since a large number of male warders were transferred to Tswelopele Correctional Centre, this would leave female warders responsible for 100 male inmates at Kimberley Correctional Centre.
“This will create a security risk and will leave female warders vulnerable.”
The provincial manager of the Public Servants Association, Steve Ledibane, pointed out that the vacuum created by the suspension of 12 officials would leave the prisons short-staffed in the event of an outbreak of violence.
“Three officials were stabbed by inmates at Johannesburg Correctional Centre on Thursday. How will the facilities control a large-scale crisis if warders are sitting at home on suspension and other officials are off duty?” asked Ledibane.
“These officials will be suspended for a minimum of 60 days and the employer is permitted to extend the suspension for another 30 days if necessary.”
He added that the unions had not been consulted regarding the suspension of shop stewards.
Ledibane explained that following the transfers, the affected warders’ names did not appear on the duty list at either Tswelopele Correctional Centre or Kimberley Correctional Centre, whereupon they returned for duty at the old centre.
“We would like to know what criteria was used in selecting the transfer of officials and if it was motivated by an attempt to hide, destroy or derail evidence. The suspension of 12 officials smacks of unfairness and we will defend our members.
“Officials were served for insubordination, while the transfers were not discussed with the unions. The employer then resorted to near violence, where officials were forcefully removed from the premises. We advised members to avoid any unnecessary battles.”
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union provincial secretary Boitumelo Pheleo condemned the “force and violence” used yesterday.
“Officials went to collect their suspension letters after a labour dispute was referred for arbitration, regarding the unfair transfer of members to and from the two correctional centres. All hell broke loose, where they were intimidated by emergency support team security that are usually called in to control rioting inmates, the police, SAPS dogs and more than 30 officials, including managers from the area commissioner ‘s office and managers from Tswelopele Centre and Kimberley Centre,” said Pheleo.
He indicated that they were waiting for a date at the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council for the labour dispute to be heard.
“Intimidating tactics are being used. Suspension should not be used as a punitive measure if the employer does not agree with the union. We do not even know what charges were brought against our members.”
Pheleo pointed out that shop stewards would not be able to continue performing their duties if they were transferred to another correctional centre.
The Department of Correctional Services indicated that it would not be able to respond to media enquiries by the time of going to publication on Thursday evening.
“We will provide a response as soon as we are able to do so,” the spokesperson for the Department of Correctional Services, Josial Ramokoena, stated.
