King Goodwill Zwelithini says he is "disgusted" by prison officials who collude with prisoners, and has warned them to shape up.
|||Durban - King Goodwill Zwelithini says he is “disgusted” by prison officials who collude with prisoners - smuggling in guns, cellphones, drugs and weapons - and has sent out a stern warning to them to shape up.
The king was speaking to thousands of prison officials from across KwaZulu-Natal at a Department of Correctional Services prayer meeting at Westville Prison on Friday.
A raid at the prison in October uncovered nearly 1 000 cellphones, drugs, porn movies, hand-made weapons and household appliances.
King Zwelithini thanked warders who were doing their duty, but unleashed a broadside at those who were supplying prisoners with contraband, putting other prisoners and warders at risk.
“We understand the pressure of this job, and we want to thank you… (but) under my watch, I can’t applaud you when you are doing wrong.
“To those of you that do this, this is aimed at you: change right now. This is a shame, it is disgusting and not welcome, this smuggling in of weapons - how can a warder give a prisoner a gun, how can an official be working with a prisoner?
“This colluding puts us all at shame. These are terrible things that are happening here. I am afraid, and I am shocked.”
The king told the warders they were putting their own lives at risk by colluding with prisoners, as they had the potential to turn on them.
”There are those among you who do not respect the oath you gave to do this job. It shows you do not respect your jobs and your colleagues. You make the whole Department of Correctional Services bad. It is your will to live a life beyond what you are employed for that makes problems for everyone - you are no different to a teacher that sleeps with their pupils. You are disgusting,” he said in anger.
The king reminded warders theirs was an important role in the service of the country, and he urged officials who were doing wrong to mend their ways.
Correctional Services Minister S’bu Ndebele reminded the warders that they could not fail.
“If we fail here, the state will collapse. We have no death sentence in this country, so you cannot report to the minister to say you have failed. You have no room to fail,” he said.
sihle.mlambo@inl.co.za
Daily News