Activist dismisses prison raids as damage control

Prisoners’ rights activist, Miles Bhudu, has labelled the recent raids at the country’s hotspot prisons as damage control of the government’s failure to implement its policies.

He believes that by now the government should have adopted robust strategies and tactics to make sure that illegal items don’t find their way into the prison cells.

His remarks follow yesterday’s SAPS raid at the Johannesburg Prison, also known as Sun City.

Playstations, cellphones, TVs, Wi-Fi routers, laptops, medication and charging cables are just some of the many items that were found in the cells.

Police also had to disconnect illegal electricity cables used to plug the gaming devices.

This comes amid concerns that the country’s prisons have become holiday resorts for criminals.

A video of an inmate recently surfaced on social media, where the prisoner can be heard bragging about the lavish lifestyle behind bars.

Bhudu says such behaviour exposes the rot in the country’s correctional services centres.

“It should have never gotten this far but I can assure you that when prisoners do this, they are exposing the rot that is so deep in our prisons. The rot makes them worse people. It makes them idle and come out with nothing, even those who took advantage of the programmes in prison; come out being labelled and stigmatised as criminals, ex-prisoners and they even become economic hostages because they cannot get jobs,” adds the rights activist.

Bhudu has also lamented the lack of leadership within the Department of Correctional Services.

“This is the most controversial and toughest department that deals with humans. Correctional officers have contact with prisoners who are human beings and humans will always be humans.”

He has accused the government of pruning the culture of gangsterism.

The activist says he hopes the new Minister of Correctional Services, Dr Pieter Groenewald, will crack the whip on corrupt officials who enable such behaviour.

Social media has been abuzz, with many saying the prison officials should be held accountable for the contraband found at the Johannesburg Prison.

The Sun city raid was long overdue, they’re on vacation while in prison. They have access to drugs, cellphones and even PS4? We needed this new governance for real. #prisonraid pic.twitter.com/K1DiYto1iw

— Mlondolozi (@Angeligue4luv) July 24, 2024

The Sun city raid was long overdue, they’re on vacation while in prison. They have access to drugs, cellphones and even PS4? We needed this new governance for real. #prisonraid pic.twitter.com/K1DiYto1iw

— Mlondolozi (@Angeligue4luv) July 24, 2024

#SunCityPrison indicates how correction wardens are part of the problem. The fact that many items had been found there shows a disgrace, and this proves what that prisoner said on that video that they’re in the hotel when they are there in prison. @CathyMohlahlana @SAfmRadio pic.twitter.com/kGRVrrcrk8

— Bond (@_007Sihle) July 25, 2024

The raid search&seizure in #SunCityPrison is a routine exercise, NOTHING INTELLIGENT about it.
The Praise to Pieter Groenewald are misplaced.

— Bhungane Ludidi🇿🇦 (@Bhungane3003) July 25, 2024

Pieter Groenewald must stop this private TV privilege in prisons#SunCity #SunCityPrison pic.twitter.com/xUADwPTThH

— Sir Morai_B2B Medalist (@dnkoni) July 25, 2024