C-Max secured after escape bid
2004-11-07 20:50
Pretoria - Pretoria's C-Max prison has been secured after a botched escape attempt on Sunday left four people dead and two in custody.
Two prison guards and two inmates died in the hostage drama, which started at about 10:00 and was defused about four hours later.
SABC radio said a prisoner allegedly shot dead another inmate and two warders before turning the gun on himself when the escape attempt went wrong.
The two men being held were apparently waiting in a get-away vehicle.
They were arrested after police dogs were brought in to search the parking area at C-Max for firearms and ammunition.
A Sapa reporter at the scene witnessed the arrests, saying journalists and bystanders had to take cover as armed departmental staff and police in bullet-proof vests swarmed out of the prison and cordoned off the outside area.
Firearm
Unconfirmed reports said a firearm was smuggled into the prison, but the correctional services department has declined to comment on these allegations.
Pretoria police spokesperson Piletji Sebola could not confirm that train of events, but said a firearm had been confiscated.
Correctional services would not give details of what happened.
"An investigation has been instituted," prison spokesperson Bheki Manzini told reporters at the scene. "We will release more information tomorrow (Monday)."
Visits cancelled
All visits to the prison were cancelled and heavily armed men were deployed outside the prison gate.
Police and prison officials were conducting the probe.
The DA's spokesperson on correctional services, James Selfe, said this was the second incident involving a major lapse of security at C-Max in the last three months.
"While an investigation has been launched immediately by the department of correctional services, it is clear that the situation is unsatisfactory in a prison that is supposed to be the most secure in South Africa. - Sapa / SABC