Documents concerning deaths of inmates in South Africa’s
Mangaung prison, run by British security firm G4S, contain allegations that
inmates were tortured before they died, while prison registered deaths as
either natural causes or suicide. Several
inmates incarcerated in Mangaung prison, outside the city of Bloemfontein in
South Africa’s central Free State province, have died under suspicious
circumstances. South Africa’s Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has
said it is aware that G4S’ record keeping of deaths in custody is not up to
standard and that it might be covering up deaths through torture.
Two years ago the Wits Justice Project uncovered evidence
that G4S was allegedly giving forced injections and electric shock treatment to
subdue unruly inmates. Around the same time, the government took over the
running of the prison from G4S, saying it had “lost effective control” in the
wake of a series of stabbings, riots, strikes and a hostage taking. A year ago,
the Department handed back the prison to G4S.
The EST (the Emergency Security Team also known as the
Ninjas) are armed with electrically charged shields. The ‘dark room’ is a
windowless cell with thick walls that ensured it was a sound proof. This is
where an EST member, interviewed by BBC television on 28 October 2013, admitted
to taking inmates to torture them.
“Yeah we stripped them naked and we throw with water so the
electricity can work nicely,” he said. “I will shock him until he tells the
truth that I want even if it’s a lie.”
A further 13 dismissed EST members confirmed to the WJP that
the dark room was used for this purpose.
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