The Government has deployed its key emergency arms, to swiftly attend to and ensure speedy repairs of damaged infrastructure at Khami Prisons Complex’s Medium Prison after a heavy storm on Monday afternoon left a trail of destruction on some buildings that house inmates.
No one was
injured and all the inmates are safe and accounted for.
A perimeter
fence measuring about 160 metres was also damaged when a heavy downpour,
accompanied by strong winds that lasted several hours, hit the country’s
second-largest prison.
Zimbabwe
Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) Deputy Officer Commanding for Bulawayo
Metropolitan Province, Assistant Commissioner Priscilla Mthembu hailed the
swift response of prison officers for bringing the situation under control
while promptly moving affected inmates to other buildings to ensure their
safety.
“I would like
to commend the ZPCS officers for being vigilant in making sure the situation
was brought under control when the unfortunate incident happened, as well as
the inmates from Medium Prison for displaying good behaviour.
“All the inmates are safe and accounted for. When the situation unfolded, the inmates were in the yard scattered all over the place going about their usual routines and activities, but they remained calm and moved to safer buildings as guided by the officers,” said Assistant Commissioner Mthembu.
“The way the
inmates handled the situation by ensuring that they are safe is a testament to
our rehabilitation programmes at ZPCS, where we instil discipline and
responsibility in the inmates to always make the right decisions. When we talk
about rehabilitation, we mean a person must take responsibility for their
actions, and the inmates really showed us that they are responsible adults.”
Assistant
Commissioner Mthembu also applauded the swift response of the Matabeleland
North Civil Protection Unit (CPU).
By yesterday
afternoon, the Bulawayo Fire Brigade, which is closest to Khami Prison Complex,
was already on the ground assessing the damage and putting up canvases on the
homes of prison officers that were also damaged.
The fire
brigade was also cutting down trees whose branches could potentially come into
contact with electricity supply lines.
“The damage
affected three blocks that house six cells for inmates as well as a perimeter
fence that is already being erected back into place.
“ The CPU has
been of great assistance and their efforts in working around the clock are well
appreciated,” she said.
Khami Prison
Complex, situated on the outskirts of Bulawayo, consists of the Maximum Prison,
Medium Prison and Remand Prison, as well as Mlondolozi, which houses female
inmates and mentally challenged patients.
Yesterday,
Chronicle observed employees from the Ministry of Local Government and Public
Works taking measurements of the damaged roof and roof trusses, paving the way
for quick repairs. Under the supervision of ZPCS officers, inmates were digging
holes to erect the damaged perimeter wall’s concrete poles back into place.
“Government has
taken note of the situation on the ground at Khami Prison Complex and has
activated the CPU systems, which are assessing the extent of the damage as well
as pulling together all our resources to attend to the damage caused by the
storm.
“Minister
Richard Moyo (Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution) has
directed that beyond the damage we have seen here at Khami Prison, all CPU
systems must be activated to deal with emergencies across the province,” said
the ministry’s director for co-ordination, Mr Tapera Mugoriya.
Meanwhile, a
violent hailstorm that swept through Plumtree on Sunday left a trail of
destruction at Thekwane High School, blowing off roofs of key classroom blocks
and staff housing.
According to
the School Development Committee (SDC) chairperson, Mr Misheck Mugiyo, the
storm ripped through the school with unexpected force, blowing off roofing
sheets and exposing classrooms and living spaces for the staff.
“The storm
affected three buildings, the Gonde new block building, which was for A-level
learners, but all trusses are still intact,” he said. Chronicle
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