{
  "id": 8033994,
  "title": "Madlanga Commission hears officials can be manipulated by inmates",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/madlanga-commission-hears-officials-can-be-manipulated-by-inmates",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-17T13:28:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "SABC News",
    "slug": "sabc-news",
    "url": "https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/madlanga-commission-hears-officials-can-be-manipulated-by-inmates/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Madlanga Commission has heard testimony that inmates possess the power to sway or influence correctional services officials when it comes to determining inmate placement and work assignments. This revelation comes from Correctional Services Commissioner, Makhothi Thobakgale, who shared his experiences during the inquiry.\n\nThobakgale testified that Choppies, an admitted gang member and leader from the Western Cape, was discovered working in the kitchen at the Kuruman Correctional Facility despite being deemed a high-risk inmate. He explained that Choppies's presence there for over a year had altered the crime profile of the region. Thobakgale emphasized that Choppies should have been housed in a maximum-security facility until his sentence was complete.\n\nFurthermore, Thobakgale disclosed that he receives alerts about the movements of attempted murder accused Vusimuzi \"Cat\" Matlala to prevent any security breaches during his transport. He testified that a high-ranking gang leader was transferred from Ebongweni Supermax Prison in KwaZulu-Natal to the Western Cape without adhering to the necessary approval procedures. This transfer had significant repercussions, as it unsettled the gang dynamics in the Western Cape and raised concerns for Thobakgale.\n\nAccording to Thobakgale, the movement of this influential gang leader instilled fear in the communities, as word spread that he was returning to the Western Cape. This development unsettled the local gangs, as his presence served as a declaration before any further actions took place. Consequently, Thobakgale decided to temporarily relocate the leader back to KwaZulu-Natal to maintain stability in the area.",
  "summary": "Madlanga Commission hears that correctional officials can be influenced or manipulated by inmates.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Citizen",
        "title": "‘You leave or we are going to kill you’: Inmate escape linked to alleged threats, Madlanga commission hears",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/you-leave-or-we-are-going-to-kill-you-inmate-escape-linked-to-alleged",
        "published": "2026-09-17T13:21:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "Thobakgale tells Madlanga Commission prisons become training base for future crime bosses",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/thobakgale-tells-madlanga-commission-prisons-become-training-base-for",
        "published": "2026-09-17T13:51:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}