The Economic Freedom Fighters (EEF) in KwaZulu-Natal has called on the Department of Correctional Services and the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS) to immediately suspend Glencoe prison warders implicated in the death of an inmate.

Sphamandla Njilo, an inmate at Glencoe prison, was allegedly beaten to death by nine prison warders in the presence of other inmates on Monday.

The EFF says under the Bill of Rights, prisoners’ constitutional rights allow for the right not to be tortured and not to be punished in a cruel, inhuman or degrading way.

The EFF says it is most aggrieved by the fact that this vicious act was done in the presence of other inmates watched helplessly as threats were being hurled at them.

“It is even more concerning to note that this incident was done by people who are supposed to be bringing hope and rehabilitation to inmates,” the red berets said.

The party expressed concern at the lack of a sense of urgency displayed by the JICS which it says has never instituted any successful investigations against violence against inmates.

“The time for remaining mum while violence is growing at an alarming rate in our prisons is over,” the EFF stated.