Research Paper on Prison Gangs in South Africa

Introduction

Economic inequality left as a legacy of white dominance in South Africa has resulted in poverty and constant criminal activities that leave many South African societies disjointed. This paper gives information about some of the political, socio-cultural and economic dynamics that define prison gangs in South Africa and how they control prison affairs. It will look at origins of prison gangs and reveal features which impact its works both indirectly and directly.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Prison gangs in South Africa since their inception have proven that they are products of oppressive laws and that the behavior has been brought about by their dark past which consisted of apartheid and colonialism. The psychological difference brought about by apartheid has caused practices of damaging and unequal rights in the South African society.

The Numbers Gang is a gang found in many South African prisons, and it has one of the most feared reputations. It is currently headed by John Mongrel. They operate mainly in Pollsmoor prison, but they control operations in most South African jails. The origins of the gang are unclear the story of Ngeleketshane and Nongoloza have been passed over for decades. The tale is about a man named Po, who was said to fight for black people's rights. He found out that many young men left their homes and disappeared when they were working in the mines. His curiosity made him find out for himself and when he saw their condition of life and how they were treated he became disappointed. He returned to his cave and decided to help these young men.

One day he saw a young man by the name of Nongoloza who told him he was going to the mines. He tells the young man of the dangers of the mines and advises him to join his cause against white oppression. The following day, he meets another young man by the name of Ngeleteshane who was from the Zulu tribe. Po convinces him to join him and he, in turn, accepts his offer. Po, in the end, recruits more than ten men and teaches them a code language and highway robbery skills. The men robbed remote offices and travelers, and Po instructs them to draft their laws on a rock as a reminder of their purpose. Eventually, his groups of men divide and form two groups with allegiance to his first disciples Nongoloza and Ngeleteshane. Nongoloza gang consisted of eight men and Ngeleteshane seven, and it is believed that the numbers 28 and 27 came from with the 2 representing the two gang leaders (Haysom, 1981).

The gangs had an accord that they will continuously remain in separation, and they continued their criminal activities in the country, and both found themselves in Point Prison in Durban. In prison, they formed three groups which included the 26 which consisted of gamblers and the 28 and 27. The 26s controlled all gambling and smuggling activities, the 28 were fierce and fought on behalf of the three groups, and 27 maintained peace between the gangs and protected and enforced gang laws. They formed new rules which entailed killing of a warder whenever gang members broke them.

The 26 section of the gang has to create wealth for all the gangs. They operate on they own and are not required to take other men as their wife's because it is against their laws. They have a hierarchy that controls operations and makes decisions. Every single rank has its base of operation and chores which including training new gang members duties and laws of the gang.

The 28 consists of vicious members who do not hesitate to commit murder. They are split into two groups the silver line and the gold line. The gold lines are considered as warriors who settle any scores for the gangs. The silver lines are deemed to be female and are taken as sex slaves. However, the silver line members dispute this and claim that they are the brains of the gang. The gang has a substructure that includes; the glass gives any message on decisions made by the gang, the dread which is responsible for intelligence, and the magistrate who approves the promotion of gang members through his red, green, white and black stamps.

It is essential to prove your ability as a man and climb up rankings for members of 28. Moving up ranks is determined if a gang member kills or stabs a disobedient member, rival gang member, and correctional officers. If a member does not move up ranks, he will still be considered as a female and will be taken as sex pets until he proves he is a man (Schurink, 1989).

When a new inmate is allocated a cell, he will be introduced to the head of a cell known as the cell cleaner. He will welcome the new inmate and either has sex with him in the night or leave him alone. The new inmates are observed by the glas who approaches a potential recruit poses a riddle to him. The way the new prisoner answers the question determine which category of the gang he will fall under. He will watch different traits of the prisoner, from how he deals with problems, conflict and the way he talks and walks. After he is satisfied with the answer, the inmate is given a task to fit in the gang. The assignment could be stabbing a warder or a fellow inmate. The group provides conditions of how the stabbing should be and would give the prisoner a longer or shorter knife depending on the type of assignment. When the stabbing is complete and successful, all gang members shout "Nangampela" which translates to the number is complete. A series of other states follow, and if he passes, he becomes a gang member (Haysom, 1981).

Every night the top hierarchy of the 28s meets with the hierarchy of 26s and 27s in a meeting known as the Valcross. In the meeting, only the glas of the gangs are allowed to speak. The 28s do not speak directly by the 26s as stated by their laws. They pass information through the 27s. If the 28s recruit a new member they will report to the 27s who in turn will inform the 26s.

Members of number gangs refer to themselves as ndondas which is another name for men is South African dialect and non-gang members as franse. These stripped of their personhood because gang members do not see them as human beings. If they receive anything from a visitor, they first give it to the ndondas who will make the next decision. He also has to ask for permission to sell any good he has, and during gangster's meetings they are required to remain silent and sited facing the wall. They also are servants to the ndondas and are responsible for all chores in a cell. These people live under the rule of the ndondas so that they can get protection from the numbers (Van, 2009).

The relationship between warders and members of these gangs is usually rough. During the white rule dominance, they feared the warders. They knew that in an enclosed place like a prison facility there are no human rights activists. When a warder is stabbed, the prisoners will receive brutal beatings from the warders. Under the new structures created the inmates have targeted continuously the warders. These gangsters are aware that the result of their behavior will not result in a death penalty or thorough beating, and thus they encourage new inmates to stab a warden.

A significant feature of the numbers gang is their nationwide bond that is present in every penitentiary across South Africa. Gang members who break the rules are not safe in any South African prison; they are killed almost instantly if they get into any prison. The nature of the gang to keep secrets makes their communicating system to different prisons around the country a mystery. It is a factor that makes them the most dangerous prison gang in the world.

There exist other number gangs, but they are of less significance to the 26s, 27s, and 28s. There are commonly referred to as dirty dogs and receive less respect and status as members of the numbers gang. In some instances, it is a must to kill a member of these other gangs.

Conclusion

The gang operates like a cartel, and it will be hard to get rid of them because of the structures they have that make their operations in prisons effective. They are also feared by both prisoners and wardens making them conduct their businesses with reckless abandon, regardless of the penal laws. They have been present in prisons across South Africa since the apartheid regime until now. It will talk a long time and correct measure for the South African government to get rid of these people. It is an intervention that should begin by first correcting imbalances in the country. Until then, the numbers gang will continue operating, growing their number and committing serious crimes inside the prisons and out.

References

Haysom, N. (1981). Towards an understanding of prison gangs . Institute of Criminology, University of Cape Town.

Schurink, W. (1989). The world of Wetslaners: an analysis of some organizational features in South African prisons. Acta Criminologica, 60-70.

Van, O. (2009). New Babylon. New Nineveh, 368-397.