JUDICIAL Inspectorate for Correctional Services Judge Johann Van der Westhuizen said Ananias Mathe’s death must be investigated.
He was addressing the media at Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town yesterday during an inspection of inmates’ living conditions.
The judge said statements by politicians that Mathe’s death was a good riddance shouldn’t be tolerated. He said there is evidence that first reports of Mathe’s illness weren’t taken seriously.
Van Der Westhuizen said the violence at St Alban’s Prison in the Eastern Cape over the Christmas holiday was worrying and the inspectorate would investigate.
He said reports he had received from the Independent Correctional Centres visitors’ organisation at St Alban’s suggested that gangsters and officials were involved in a violent clash.
“Four inmates who were visibly injured told of the attack on officials using various weapons.
“Inmates said officials used unnecessary force to calm down the situation. Some officials allegedly used Okapi knives to attack inmates.” He said officials who supplied banned items to inmates should be dealt with.
Van Der Westhuizen added that the failure to deal with corrupt officials meant the country must brace itself for future violence.
