Correctional Services National Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale says the unit where last week’s fatal stabbing attack occurred at Pollsmoor Correctional Facility remains under lockdown as investigations continue.
Last Wednesday, three remand detainees launched a violent attack on two correctional officials in Unit D3 of the Remand Detention Facility.
The officials, identified as Mr Wuve Rubushe and Mr Mendo Somdyala, were performing routine duties when the inmates — aged 22, 28, and 46 — attacked them with sharpened objects.
According to a statement released by Thobakgale, despite their injuries, the officers managed to call for help, and responding staff were able to disarm and subdue the attackers.
All three detainees were taken to the hospital for medical treatment, but later succumbed to their injuries. Two of the inmates died on the same day, and one succumbed to his injuries the next day. Both officials were hospitalised and have since been discharged.
Thobakgale says preliminary investigations suggest the assault was gang-related, allegedly led by a self-proclaimed “General” of the 26 Gang, in retaliation against newly enforced security measures at the facility.
This comes after the Department of Correctional Services recently deployed a specialised team to Pollsmoor to stabilise the Remand Detention Facility following assessments that revealed operational weaknesses.
The interventions introduced include stricter access control, improved inmate profiling, and tighter supervision to restore order and accountability.
Thobakgale said the measures disrupted entrenched criminal networks that had flourished under weak controls, provoking resistance from gang structures.
“- the assault appears to have been a deliberate act of defiance, an attempt to reassert gang dominance in response to the Department’s renewed enforcement of discipline and order.” added Thobakgale
Following the fatal incident, a search of Unit D3 uncovered six weapons, including knives and sharpened objects, while additional offenders were relocated for security reasons.
The Commissioner reaffirmed that gangsterism would not be tolerated within correctional centres, describing it as a major obstacle to rehabilitation and safety. He also announced the appointment of Ms Ntomboxolo Kungune as the new Area Commissioner for Pollsmoor to strengthen leadership and sustain ongoing reforms.
“This incident serves as a stark reminder of the deep-rooted gangsterism challenge that continues to threaten safety within correctional facilities,” concluded Thobakgale
READ MORE: Two Inmates Dead in Stabbing at Pollsmoor Remand Facility
