Westville warders quit posts
An emergency team has been called in to escort awaiting trial prisoners to court after Westville prison warders abandoned their posts on Saturday. Before meeting trade union representatives yesterday, Department of Correctional Services regional commissioner Mnikelwa Nxele claimed that a "small group of about 20 warders" was holding the prison's most overcrowded section, medium A, to "ransom" by disrupting operations and intimidating staff.He said 400 warders had to ensure that 3000 awaiting trial prisoners appeared in court and kept appointments with doctors.Nxele said the dispute began in April when warders called for section head Bheki Mlambo to be removed, claiming he was too "harsh" on them.He asked an Eastern Cape prison commissioner to investigate claims that Mlambo harassed and suspended warders irregularly.Nxele said the commissioner found there was "ill discipline" in the section.In June he met warders and offered to "meet them halfway" by providing transport so that they could be at work before 6am.But provincial Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union secretary Kwenza Nxele said the facts were misrepresented...
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