Durban — The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) conducted a raid the the Westville Correctional Centre in Durban, continuing to root out corruption at the country’s prisons.
This marks the third prison raid across South Africa after the DCS conducted a raid at the Goodwood Correctional Centre in Cape Town and the Sun City Prison in Johannesburg. The department retrieved several contraband including cell phones, TVs and even a PlayStation console.
On Thursday night, a team of 200 DCS officials and specialised police units, conducted a raid at the prison’s Medium B section, where they discovered contraband that included cell phones, drugs, routers, money, TVs and radios. DCS National Commissioner, Makgothi Thobakgale, said the department would not stop in its pursuit to root out corruption, IOL reported.
Thobakgale said that the raids happened in intervals and that searches often happen in many other instances. He gave an update on the findings of the raid.
“So far, we have found more than 10 cell phones, two routers, chargers and other cables. In the search, we also found a stash of dagga.”
“We are not done yet, but we rate him as a success because whatever we found here tonight, we can use this to move forward,” he added.
National Commissioner for the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), Makgothi Thobakgale, has hailed a raid at Durban’s Westville Correctional Centre a success.
🎥 Se-Anne Rall/IOL
Read more here: https://t.co/Q1wwe4eghP pic.twitter.com/69pWfS78W4— IOL News (@IOL) August 2, 2024
Thobakgale also explained that, in some instances, the inmates have a permit to allow TVs in the cell, but no permit was found during this raid. He said that if a prisoner was found to have contraband, it was added to their profile.
According to SABC News, Thobakgale said these raids are necessary because they help to combat crime both inside and outside the prisons.
“You have correctional facilities that are fairly safe because of course offenders are not going to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. But secondly, you remove sharp objects that they normally utilise when they fight. Then thirdly you also reduce the temptation of our members to be involved in the smuggling and to be involved in the trade that goes on inside our facilities,” adds Thobakgale.
He said the department would now investigate how these inmates came to have the contraband, and some privileges that were afforded to them would now be provoked. He said that any wardens or prison officials who are found to be involved will be dismissed from their positions.
#Prisons A raid is underway at Westville Correctional Centre in Durban, led by the Correctional Services National Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale. #eNCA pic.twitter.com/pAXwE7IYeA
— Siphamandla Goge (@SiphamandlaGoge) August 1, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
