Kutama fire: Inside the torching of Limpopo's maximum security prison

JOHANNESBURG - Allegations contained in an explosive memorandum by inmates from an American-run private prison in South Africa fuelled unrest, resulting in a major portion of the Limpopo prison being torched by inmates.

On 7 August, inmates led a revolt at Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre (KSCC) - a maximum prison facility situated in Makhado, Limpopo - which houses 3,024 high-risk offenders.

The majority of the inmates at KSCC are serving life sentences - otherwise known as lifers.

Inmates at KSCC told Eyewitness News they started the fire after submitting a memorandum to prison management and the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) on 27 July.

The memorandum was signed by 50 inmates, and contained allegations of a dysfunctional healthcare system, assault and torture, food nutrition, and sodomy.

The inmates gave prison officials 14 days to respond to their grievances.

But shortly after submitting it, it is alleged those who signed the memorandum were called in and victimised by prison management.

This resulted in the inmates rioting.

An inmate, who like most has been transferred to another facility following the fire, said the entire ordeal was traumatic.

He said he would “rather die” than go back to KSCC.

“I won’t go back to Kutuma, I’d rather die. Right now, I’m living with relief. The burning of the prison, fighting each other, the stampede amongst the inmates - I’ve lost my mind a little bit because I’ve been there for quite some time - I don’t want to lie.”

In their memorandum, inmates allege they are forced to buy food from the kitchen, with a piece of steak, chicken, or chops costing between R40 to R45.

This is despite the concession contract between DCS and the South African Custodial Management (SACM), a subsidiary of the GEO Group, stating that inmates should be served nutritional meals.

An October 2022 Parliamentary report noted that KSCC had a daily spend of R412.19 per offender for detention, food and clothing - equating to almost R450 million annually.

It remains unclear how much of that budget is allocated to food nutrition.

Inmates allege they are served polony, pap, viennas, and hard-boiled eggs.

A former KSCC prison warden, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged prison management were “profit orientated.”

He said due to inmates having to pay for food, many were allegedly driven to committing sexual acts to afford it.

Glynnis Marriday of Exclusive Mediators, a non-profit organisation that assists inmates with escalating their grievances to relevant departments, alleges rape was a major issue at KSCC, and was not being taken seriously.

She said the families of the victims of the prison fire wanted closure.

Jackson Hadebe and Siyabonga Nkululeko Tsongane were allegedly shot during the commotion following the fire.

Concerns around prison management at KSCC date back to the early 2000s.

DCS acting national commissioner Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale said they have not been happy about the management of KSCC.

In December 2009, an escape took place at the prison, where two inmates absconded while in custody.

Chico Naibe, a Zimbabwean national, and Johannes Antonio Khoza, a Mozambican national, escaped from KSCC on 15 December 2009. They were serving life sentences for various crimes, which included murder, robbery, and rape.

According to DCS, they escaped by cutting the window frame using a hacksaw blade, and used clothing to jump over the high security perimeter fence.

Sources claim the electric fence was switched off on the day.

Naibe was rearrested, but Khoza remains at large.

According to DCS, five officials were formally charged and dismissed following the escape.

SACM referred all questions regarding the allegations contained in the memorandum to DCS, as “contractually SACM is not permitted to grant any interviews to the media/press”.