Madlanga Commission | DCS Commissioner Thobakgale details prison gang influence

Commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), Makgothi Thobakgale, has lifted the lid on what he describes as an organised network of corruption, contraband and gang influence operating behind prison walls.

Testifying before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Thursday, Thobakgale said some officials are allegedly helping to smuggle drugs and other contraband into correctional facilities, activities he says bear the hallmarks of organised crime.

He told the Commission that the illicit trade operates through established chains of command, generating significant proceeds while strengthening criminal syndicates and prison gangs.

Among the drugs allegedly finding their way into prisons are cannabis, methamphetamine, crack cocaine and heroin.

Thobakgale said gangs from the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal can exploit relationships with officials to gain access to inmates.

“Gangs and syndicates infiltrate the the correctional environment by breaking down professional boundaries between officials and inmates. The process typically begins with minor requests and favours, for example, sharing a cigarette and then it escalates to personal conversations designed to establish familiarity and identify an official’s vulnerabilities, most commonly, financial attachment,” Thobakgale said.

He said officials may eventually be persuaded to “look the other way” during parcel deliveries, visits and searches – allegedly in exchange for kickbacks.

According to Thobakgale, some officials are gradually groomed to facilitate the smuggling of contraband, with newly recruited officers particularly vulnerable because of their inexperience.

But it is not only officials who are allegedly applying pressure.

Thobakgale said inmates regularly attempt to influence officials to advance their own interests, sometimes using money to build relationships.

He cited convicted rapist, Thabo Bester, as an example, saying Bester made repeated attempts to get his attention before being directed to the department’s formal complaints process.

The commissioner said the challenge is compounded by the sheer numbers involved, around 18,000 officials tasked with managing at least 167,000 inmates.

Thobakgale said he generally avoids direct engagement with inmates, except where they claim to possess incriminating information about departmental officials.

He also made claims concerning recently arrested escapee, Edward Madiba, who allegedly told him that correctional officers had helped him escape from custody.

Thobakgale said he has repeatedly warned officials against unnecessary contact with inmates, saying some prisoners can apply sustained pressure until officials eventually give in to their demands.

And then there are the gangs.

Thobakgale told the Commission that the notorious 28s gang is divided into two distinct divisions – the Goldline and Silverline.

He described the Goldline as the more aggressive and violent faction, while the Silverline performs support functions such as cleaning, providing care and assisting Goldline members.

He further testified that some Silverline members are allegedly subjected to sexual servitude by members of the other division.

The commissioner also unpacked the role of the 27s gang, saying its members are associated with violent assaults that can spill blood, involving inmates and, at times, officials.

He said the 27s also serve as mediators between the 26s and 28s.

Meanwhile, Commission Chairperson Justice, Mbuyiseli Madlanga, marked the inquiry’s first anniversary by reflecting on a year of testimony that he said has exposed serious challenges within South Africa’s criminal justice system.

Exactly a year after KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, became the Commission’s first witness, Madlanga said evidence has pointed to entrenched corruption and political infiltration within key institutions.

The Commission has since heard from more than 100 witnesses and produced two interim reports containing recommendations and referrals based on evidence presented.

As the inquiry heads towards the final stages of its work, Madlanga said those found to have acted improperly must be held accountable.

“The fact that a number of players within the criminal justice system have been charged criminally with some dismissed from their employment and others facing disciplinary [action], lands credence to these indications. It is commendable that what appears to be criminality within the criminal justice system is coming out. This is commendable because hopefully that will help towards turning the tide,” Justice Madlanga said.

The Commission is expected to hand its final report to President Cyril Ramaphosa in November.

Madlanga also thanked those who have supported the inquiry over the past year, saying the overwhelming public backing will not go unnoticed.

Written by: Odirile Rabalao