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Mathe: Nine officials suspended
26/03/2007 20:41 - (SA)
Cape Town - Nine correctional services officials have been suspended pending disciplinary hearings, after Annanias Mathe's escape late last year from Pretoria's C-Max Prison.
This was confirmed on Monday by Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour in a written reply to a question in the national assembly.
He said the SA Police Service would pursue criminal charges against officials who might be implicated in misconduct.
A range of intervention strategies had been implemented to prevent a recurrence of such an escape, Balfour added.
Motion-detector fencing
The department, together with the public works department, had contracted an expert to evaluate the prison and propose physical and infrastructure improvements.
Among other things, a biometric access control system and motion-detector fencing had been installed.
A comprehensive plan was being implemented to improve compliance training of frontline and supervisory personnel, to improve checking and control by supervisory and management personnel, and follow-through on accountability measures.
The supervision and movement control of offenders was also being improved, while further technological and physical security measures were under consideration, said Balfour.
Mathe, a Mozambican national, became the first inmate to escape from the high-security prison, in November last year.
He had been awaiting trail on a string of criminal charges, including rape, armed robbery and murder.
Mathe has been recaptured.
- SAPA
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