The Department of Correctional Services issued the following statement in response to the Mail & Guardian’s story last week: “Prison brutality caught on video”.
“The Department of Correctional Services has noted with concern the sensational report published in the Mail & Guardian on April 1 based on a video footage taken during the riots of offenders that left more than R4,65-million worth of damages in September 2010.
The report reflects gross misunderstanding of the security operations of correctional services, especially in managing riots and the destruction of state property by offenders. The department wishes to dismiss as sensational and irresponsible the leaking of the video and the media report that describes efforts to down-manage riots that left R4,65-million in damage to state property.
The operation did not follow a Sunday School protest, but a dangerous riot of offenders serving long prison terms for among other [crimes] murders, rape and brutality against innocent civilians. They continued to perpetuate crime by destroying state property and placing officials and other offenders’ lives in danger.
The department believes appropriate force was used to subdue riotous offenders, and strip-searched them as part of normal operations to remove all contraband that could be further used to perpetuate criminal operations.
Based on the information at our disposal, these were no human rights abuses, but standard operating procedures in the administration of correctional services anywhere.”