Cape Town - The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has not confirmed or denied that one of the country’s most dangerous criminals and head of the 28s prison gang, George “Geweld” Thomas, has been transferred from Ebongweni Prison in Kokstad to Helderstroom Prison, north of Caledon, this week.
Correctional Services Minister Dr Pieter Groenewald said he would investigate.
Crime watchers in the province have raised concerns that gang violence will increase.
On Friday, Singabakho Nuxmalo of National Communications for the DCS, told Weekend Argus: “We have never issued any alert to that effect as we do not discuss placement of inmates nor their movements, if any.”
Nuxmalo did not confirm or deny Thomas’s transfer when questioned by Weekend Argus.
Groenewald’s personal assistant, Eune Oelofsen, confirmed he had been made aware of Thomas’s transfer and it was receiving immediate attention.
“The minister has been informed on the issue and has taken the matter up with relevant officials within the department for thorough investigation,” she said. “The minister has also convened a meeting with community representatives as a matter of urgency.
“Due to security considerations, a formal statement will be issued at a later stage.”
Ebongweni is regarded as one of the most secure prisons in the country where some of the most notorious and dangerous prisoners are kept and are in solitary confinement up to 23 hours a day.
This week, the Cape Crime Crisis Coalition said they had been informed by reliable sources that Thomas had been transferred on Wednesday night.
In a statement shared with Weekend Argus, Llewellyn MacMaster of the organisation said they were deeply concerned about how he had been granted a transfer and the implications of his move.
They said Thomas had allegedly gained “supremacy” in his ranks and was now more powerful, which posed a threat in the already volatile gang wars scenario.
They indicated that they had made a call to the authorities within the DCS and the police and called on Groenewald to intervene.
“The Cape Crime Crisis Coalition has been informed by reliable sources that the head of the 28 prison gang, George ‘Geweld’ Thomas, has been transferred to Helderstroom Prison last night (Wednesday) at 6pm,” they said.
“We are extremely concerned because Mr Thomas has now risen in gang ranks and commands all the 28s around the country as he has been elevated in status to that of a ‘lord’.
“He now has control over all the 28 gang members throughout the country.
“He remains one of the most dangerous criminals in the country and we understand that he has given the order for ‘a clean-up’. This means that there will be a war.
“We are very concerned because we understand that the other prison gangs, 26 and 27, are being marshalled for a new war.
“This will also have consequences for the Cape Flats and will cause further violence on the streets of the city.
“We understand that the acting Provincial Commissioner did not know about the transfer as well as the head of Helderstroom Prison.
“We want to know who in the Department of Correctional Services authorised this move, because it jeopardises the public safety in the Western Cape and all communities that are in such a precarious situation on the Cape Flats.
“We urgently request that the Minister of Correctional Services investigate his officials and transfer Mr Thomas back to C-Max prison.
“We will be calling for a meeting with the Minister of Correctional Services to apprise him of the situation.
“We don’t need a huge gang war on the Cape Flats.”
But Kamo Mogotsi, the spokesperson for Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, said it was not for the office to comment on the issue.
“Since the individual in question has been convicted and sentenced, the Department of Correctional Services would be best placed to advise,” Mogotsi said.
Thomas was sentenced to seven life terms, and would serve 175 years behind bars.
He was given a life term for each murder he had been convicted of and faced 52 charges.
The murders included those which he had planned and orchestrated while being inside prison.