There’s little to be desired about the treatment of prisoners in South Africa, and even one night in a jail cell could change your life forever.

While recent months have seen offenders speak out in an effort to create awareness around issues regarding parole‚ overcrowding‚ poor food and violence meted out by warders, yesterday afternoon prisoners serving life and long-term sentences at Pretoria’s Kgosi Mampuru II prison took to rioting.

The fighting was prompted when “prisoners who were in an exercise yard refused to return to their cells,” reports Times LIVE. A Pretoria prisoner said it had been a long time coming:

“We are sick and tired of how the parole boards operate. We are treated like animals. Yes we have done wrong‚ and we have been punished‚ but the prison authorities and parole boards continue to punish by not releasing us on parole when we should be.”

He said the strike began when prisoners who were in an exercise yard refused to return to their cells.

“When they wanted them to go back to their cells they refused. The warders started pushing the prisoners back‚ but they fought back. Several of them were armed. That’s when they called in the specialised security warders who assaulted the prisoners‚” he charged.

He said that at least 15 prisoners and four warders had been injured in the clashes:

“One of the warders was beaten with a brick after he called the prisoners the K word. He got what he deserved. He’s lucky he wasn’t killed and the other warders dragged him away‚” the prisoner said.

Check it out:

Warders were deployed with dogs‚ electric shields and pepper spray after the prisoners‚ who were allegedly armed with improvised weapons‚ attacked them.

The spokesman for the Gauteng Department of Correctional Services Ofentse Morwane‚ confirmed that an “altercation” had taken place:

“According to initial reports‚ offenders were refusing to go into their cells‚” Morwane said.

“They were requested repeatedly to go back to their cells‚ but refused to do so. The inmates then started attacking officials and in the process one official and one offender sustained slight injuries.”

“In line with the relevant legislation‚ minimum force was utilised to restore order and the centre is now back to normal‚” Morwane said.

How awfully diplomatic is that response?

I guess it’s difficult to do your job properly when your head of state is draining all the funds. We’re going to have a lot to rectify when the Guptas have decided they have done enough pillaging.

[source:timeslive]