Four prison officials have been dismissed for serious misconduct and another resigned after they were seen taking bribes, prison authorities said on Wednesday.
The Correctional Services Department said video footage gathered for the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC) Special Assignment showed them accepting bribes.
”After the video was brought to the attention of the department and the officials were positively identified, the national commissioner summarily dismissed them and the matter was reported to the South African Police Service for criminal investigations,” a statement said.
They were captured on secret SABC video cameras allegedly receiving drugs, alcohol and bribes from an SABC undercover agent outside the Pretoria Local Correctional Centre.
They were also allegedly discussing activities ”aimed at facilitating an escape of one awaiting-trial detainee”.
Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour said the department could not tolerate any form of fraud and corruption and would waste no time in decisively dealing with fraud and corrupt officials.
He said appropriate law-enforcement channels should be used in such cases and called on the reporting team and all other South Africans to report incidents of fraud and corruption to the Public Service Commission, the police or the Scorpions. — Sapa