Prison Journalism: What the system does not want you to know

Warning: The content contained within this article features imagery which readers may find disturbing

So, we all have in our lives seen or have a basic idea as to what happens inside prison. How things work, what happens in the cells, and the activity in the courtyard. The thing is, is this all that actually happens? Sadly, no—there are certain things that the prison system hides from the outside world.

You have to be there to experience it

Only once you have been inside prison will you experience the things that you never get to see or hear of. The prison has only two main priorities, and it is to keep you fed and to see to your health, so much so that you serve your time and go home.

Wardens, however, conduct themselves in a manner that does not accompany the above. Corruption, favouritism, and inhuman behaviour are what I experienced when I was incarcerated.

Prison is a no man’s land

Being in prison is very dangerous, as anything can happen in the blink of an eye. You soon realise that you are on your own, and danger is all around you. I myself witnessed so many things that the outside world never gets to see or hear of.

For one, there was a prison war about to break out, and I saw wardens prepare themselves to allow it to happen instead of preventing it. That day, 11 people lost their lives. Another event was when a warden opened up a cell in the evening and moved an inmate to the cell of 28s gang members to be sodomised. I saw the warden take a bribe afterwards.

The prison system as it stands

The wardens and the number gang are what consist of the prison system today. Drug smuggling is supplied by the wardens for a bribe and corruption. If this is not done, the inmates get irritated, and fighting and violence are unleashed.

Sodomy is not permitted, and yet it takes place, as the wardens are allowing it to happen, and knowing so, they turn a blind eye. I have witnessed a warden being crushed by the haulers for smuggling drugs and being posted back at work the following day with the same parcel of drugs.

Safety of inmates that don’t take the number

There is no safety whatsoever if you are not part of a number gang. Your life is at major risk. You will be in line for sodomy and being treated like a slave inside. You can lodge a complaint as to what happened, but nothing will come of it. I’ve seen this happen too many times.

The wardens will only do something about it if their jobs begin to be put at risk of exposure. Many inmates that go through this end up taking their own lives and committing suicide.

As for myself, exposing these things that you didn’t get to see or hear of, I am willing to put my neck on the line. As an ex-offender and a member of the number gang, I will fight for change, as it is what I believe to be right, and I will go the extra mile to make sure that this system gets destroyed.

So, at the end of it all, you won’t have the prison system taking human dignity, lives for granted like sheep. If anything, we need to intervene by exposing this and making it known to those in charge so that things outside in our own community can also change for the better. Or it will all be in vain for those like myself and those before that fought for change.

DISCLAIMER: Submission published as received

This project in collaboration with RESTORE currently works with formerly incarcerated young men in the communities.

If you have any questions you would like to ask our prison journalists, WhatsApp us on 060 011 0211.

Do you have contact with a prison inmate who would like to write for The South African website? If so, send an email to info@thesouthafrican.com or a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211.

You can also follow @TheSAnews on Twitter and The South African on Facebook to get the latest prison journalism articles.