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Racism flared in C-Max drama
10/11/2004 07:37 - (SA)
Sonja Carstens, Beeld
Pretoria - "Shoot the coloured!" apparently echoed through a section of C-Max Prison in Pretoria on Sunday, while five prisoners held two warders at gunpoint.
Meanwhile, André Storm, former rugby star for the department of correctional services, desperately tried to negotiate with prisoners and get them to agree they would not shoot any more warders.
This is what warders told Beeld newspaper on Tuesday, despite threats from the department that they would be suspended if the information leaked out.
According to some of his colleagues, Storm was the hero
in the hostage drama that took place on Sunday morning.
The only thing Storm was prepared to say was: "It was not child's play. It was very traumatic. I have no comment. Please respect that."
Shot at point-blank range
There apparently were only three warders on duty to guard the 45 prisoners when Sam Gomba, an assistant-director in the department, did his weekly rounds in the prison to hear prisoners' complaints.
Benny Ndinisa, a deputy-director, accompanied Gomba in his capacity as acting director of corrections.
Beeld learnt that Ndinisa was shot at point-blank range, and a struggle between Gomba and the prisoners ensued. He was injured and fell in one
of the passages. He died on the way to hospital.
The warders were taken hostage after the struggle
with Gomba.
"Shoot them to pieces. Leave the black man. Shoot the coloured," the prisoners apparently constantly called while their comrades fired shots.
One of the prisoners wounded another convict, and another was shot and killed.
- Beeld
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