by Son of Khoi
Part 1 of Bearing Witness: Firsthand Accounts of Incarceration
Series curated by Dr. Baz Dreisinger
This is my personal account of being in solitary confinement at the Old Maximum at Brandvlei Correctional Centre in Western Cape, South Africa, for a transgression that I committed: Being in possession of a USB memory device in my cell, which contained educational materials and non-educational materials. I was sent for 42 days to an infamous section of the prison where several people in prison have died in the years 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Day 1, 12 June 2025
After being detained at the segregation section of the new Maximum for being found in possession of an unauthorized article—a USB memory device – I was eventually transferred to the infamous Kutuma section at the Brandvlei Correctional Center. The name Kutuma derives from a prison that got burned down allegedly by prisoners in the province of Limpopo in South Africa. Some of those prisoners were then sent to Brandvlei to be housed here, and the name stuck. I’ve heard many horrifying stories about Kutuma and now I’m here to experience it for myself. Another incarcerated man and I were taken to reception to book us out of the normal Maximum units. I was not beaten or socked with the sock board, but the other guy was repeatedly beaten and socked; apparently, he was rude to a Correctional Official and that is regarded as an offense.
Upon arrival at Kutuma my personal belongings were searched and during the search process I lost some of my personal possessions—or maybe they were misplaced because everything happened so fast. I was made to sit against the wall as if I was sitting in a chair and being unfit, I found this extremely difficult. One official took a fire hose and sprayed me with water. My legs began to feel numb. They again made us to stand against the wall and started beating and shocking the prisoner next to me. I was surprised and thankful they did not do the same to me.
After that we were taken to “Passage 2,” where the beginning phase of the punishment program starts. Another prisoner was taken with us, an elderly man who was thrown into his cell and beaten and shocked. I heard him screaming.
Passage 2 is a block of single cells with no running water where we are taken out to fill a 25-liter water container each day. With that tiny amount we are to flush, wash, and drink. There is an exercise regime in which we are forced to exercise and as Mr. Hendricks puts it, he is a motivator not a rehabilitator. Prisoners who cannot perform the exercises get threatened with the socked boards. Mr. Hendricks asked me about my health and the chronic medication that I take, so I was given special leave. But from what I gathered from those who were there long before me, this is all nothing compared to two months ago; Thulani*, a friend of mine, told me he was beaten by Coach (Mr. Hendricks) because he could not do the exercises. After exercise we are detained in our cells for the rest of the mundane day. After the master key locks up, the passage is quiet and the only thing you can hear is the sound of rattling keys.
Day 2, 13 June 2025
At 5 am, the guy next to my cell signaled to everyone in “Passage 2” that it was time to wake up. I was awake long before that time and had already cleaned my cell. It turns out that I made up my bed the wrong way and an official pointed it out when they opened the cells to do the counting ritual, which normally goes with the questions, complaints and request process. The prisoner’s questions are in most cases never adhered to, except when it comes to real medical conditions. Even the nurse on duty, Mr. Joe, is hostile towards complaints. According to the rules, whenever you hear movement in the passage you must stand up, identity card in hand, away from the cell door. Failure to do so results in corporal punishment of some sort.
During exercise, I spoke to a former colleague of mine who was caught with a cellphone at the medium security prison. I have terrible pain in my knees and cannot squat like the others because I’m overweight. I will not let them know about the situation because they’ll mock me or even make me sit in that position just to torture me. Lunch is served through an opening in the cell door. There’s also a loudspeaker in the passage that plays music much to loudly for my liking. I kept thinking to myself, “All this for possessing a memory device in the housing unit!” Luckily, I had some study material with me, to fight the boredom.
Day 3, 14 June 2025
The day started out with the normal counting routine or, as they call it, the counting parade. The member in charge asks for any complaints and requests. I must highlight that sometimes my fellow prisoners make silly requests—maybe it is a tactic to piss the officials off. The bad side effect of this is that when you come with a serious request the officials do not take you seriously. The day went by as boring as ever. We did not get any exercise.
Day 4, 15 June 2025 (Father’s Day)
Today was Father’s Day, my first Father’s Day in a C-Max facility designed for “violent offenders,” except the liberated or the emancipated also have a place here. By “liberated” I mean someone who chose humanity over their occupation, whether it be a gang member or a correctional official—a prisoner who educates himself or an official who assists a prisoner and goes the extra mile. Those of us with “transgressions” linked to academics are also kept here. Over the loudspeaker slow jams were playing. I also saw the two accused in the widely published Joslyn human trafficking case; they looked terrible and I could see that they have been traumatized—I guess the “life sentence” part is still sinking in.
The loudspeaker played “Daddy,” a song by a famous South African artist. Thoughts of my father came to me. I thought about how he used to reprimand me. I thought of things that I did that were wrong. It brought me near to tears but I did not cry. It’s difficult to cry.
My head seems stuck and I can’t focus on assignments that must still be submitted. Solitary is no joke; it fucks with the mind. I realize more and more how we need people around us—it is a basic human need. We are social creatures.
Day 5, 16 June (Youth Day)
After breakfast a Criminology PhD student was accompanied by an official to visit each cell. When they came to me the official pointed out that I was found with a USB stick, which constitutes bad behavior; therefore, I must be amongst men who stab officials and other prisoners. Does it make sense?
We did get exercise and one official explained to the Criminologist that they do these “controlled” exercises as part of a rehabilitation strategy. They were bullshitting him because they did not share even half of the torture that they inflict.
The time I spend here is making me lose my mind. I hate being alone. I washed my socks in the toilet pot and washed myself with a one-liter bottle of water. Just the essentials: armpits, ass, and feet.
Day 6, 17 June 2025
Same routine and the day was over. Fellow students were allowed to submit their assignments. We filled our water containers and again we had no exercise; just going out of the cell to fetch water was a relief. Even though the day seems long it moves quickly, but the boredom overwhelms me.
Day 7, 18 June 2025
It is a cloudy day and rain is a real possibility, so not going out to exercise is justified by the authorities. That makes 72 hours since we have had exercise. Today I read some Bible verses and took some notes out of a history book. I am really worried about getting my assignments in on time and getting them correct, since I have no access to scholarly sources and learning material.
Day 8, 19 June 2025
Another uneventful day but at least we were given a chance to exercise. Some students finished their disciplinary sentence and were taken back to the general prison population. Unlike myself they were subjected to various abuses. Thando* told me when they arrived at Kutuma they were forced into a wheelie-bin full of water and then electrocuted. Afterwards they were beaten with batons and led to their single cell. The cells are very cold, I must add.
Day 9, 20 June 2025
This is a very cold day and it is raining outside so it is obvious that no one is exercising today. I got the chance to stretch my legs when we went to fetch water.
It is now evident that nothing much happens here besides the awful assaults by officials on prisoners. They share their stories of abuse with me and they remind me that I am lucky for not suffering those abuses yet. I guess I have got some kind of guardian angel with me. Or maybe it is my surname—I have influential relatives living in Worcester. Or it could be my case file, which has copies of my qualifications. I do not know.
Day 10, 21 June 2025
Another uneventful day. I am reading a book about Shaka the Zulu King and how he built his empire. At first, we were not allowed reading material but I managed to break that rule and even displayed my books for the officials to see. I was waiting for a response and got one, but nobody took the books away. Eventually fellow prisoners were allowed their reading material, which was confiscated. We swapped our books amongst ourselves. Reminder: no exercise today.
Day 11, 22 June 2025
Lock open was earlier than usual; maybe we are going to get exercise. It has been another 72 hours without fresh air. I have not showered in a while. My hair and nails were cut under supervision—thanks so much, Department of Correctional Services.
Day 12, 23 June 2025
My writings are becoming shorter because nothing occurs and it is the same routine every day. Today some prisoners will be taken to the shop but I do not qualify for that because of my disciplinary sentence. My roll-on deodorant is finished and I have asked the official if I can just buy that. He said no, kindly. Because officials were so busy to attend to other duties, we did not get exercise. Total number of hours without exercise: 96.
The guy in the cell next to me managed to smuggle some tobacco into “Passage 2,” where smoking is not allowed. Someone told me that if an official smells smoke during the day they will beat up everyone. After I shared some of my tobacco, we all agreed that we would smoke after the first watch official made his rounds. Taking a puff of tobacco came as a much-needed relief. My head was spinning and my senses calmed for a while.
Day 13, 24 June 2025
Today we got exercise. The officials conducted a few running-point exercises. I am very unfit and overweight, but they did not push me to my limits, as they did with the other guys. They most probably had a look into my medical file, as well. The head of Kutuma, Mr. Cupido, was interviewed by a criminology PhD from University of Cape Town who is writing a thesis about segregation. He put Mr. Cupido on the spot. When most officials work at Kutuma their behavior changes for the worse—they do not behave the same way when they are in general population. They are all aggressive and grumpy here. This is a punishment section for those who transgress within the general population and they make sure you feel that.
There are several human rights violations that occurred in the Kutuma’s short history. What I have gathered thus far is only eyewitness accounts. But what I have personally seen is also illegal: They guy who travelled with me to this section and was repeatedly electrocuted and beaten, there was also the old man who was also electrocuted and beaten. I was expecting even more brutality. That level of violence begins to feel mandatory because we see it so often.
Day 14, 25 June 2025
Again, it is raining today, so we did not fetch our water ourselves. The working boys—they are mostly snitches—went to fetch the water for us. Surprisingly the food was nice and flavorful today—or am I imagining things. Now I just want them to master lock the cells so that I can smoke and get into bed. Segregation is boring even if you have something to read. Being alone gets to me. I do not like being alone. It is killing me softly.
Day 15, 26 June 2025
By now you know what a rainy day means: NO EXERCISE!
At this stage I do not feel like naming officials. Cannot give them too much credit because this is my diary. They all are a bunch of assholes. I never believed that I was capable of this much hatred. This is not rehabilitation or whatever the fuck they want to call it. This is conditioning me into something I do not want to be. I see them; I hear their arrogant comments and their boasting, as if they are doing the world a favor by doing this lame-ass job. I feel sorry for them. In the long run this does not end well, treating people like this. The moment we are outside we start running randomly, like dogs that have been released from their owner’s lease. It is fucking crazy.
Day 16, 27 June 2025
Same as usual: it was very cold outside and it was raining, but we managed to stretch our legs to fetch water. I am finished with the book about Shaka; I read it sparingly. Imagine rationing your reading because you are scared to finish it. I pray to God to release me from this torment. This is inhumane. I am also constantly worrying when the assaults will begin because I know I might resist and then they will kill me or injure me seriously. That is what these cowards did to those who came here before me.
Day 17, 28 June 2025
Another uneventful day. Fish was on the menu. The Springboks played against the Barbarians. The radio was playing on the loudspeaker. The sound is so distorted it hurts your ears.
Day 18, 29 June 2025
It is a rare sunny winter day, the perfect day for exercise. But officials do not want to enter “Passage 2.” Still, we got to exercise; I mingled with fellow prisoners and it was OK. I also pretended that my lunch was a 5-Star meal.
Day 19, 30 June 2025
Again, nothing except being locked up for 24 hours; when we went to fetch water that 24 hours of being locked-up became 23:45 minutes. By now I have finished my second book. I only read at night because I must read sparingly. Luckily the lights are on for 24 hours a day. I have been reading the Bible a lot. Yoh, there is a lot of war in the Bible. A lot of harshness. I miss the voices of my mom and dad and all my close family. I need to call Vanessa ASAP; she is probably thinking I have forgotten about her and Amy.
Day 20, 1 July 2025
Today is another sunny winter’s day and exercise was at 10:15 am. At first, we were instructed to run for ten minutes. The running was a warmup for a soccer match between “Passage 2” and “Passage 1,” which an official has planned. We played to a draw and it was nice to deviate from the normal routine. We were almost like little kids, and we even had a crowd cheering us on. When we went in that was the only thing we spoke about for the day, even though we are not allowed to communicate with each other when we are locked up. We started to defy their rules and most were bold about it—I guess after being beaten for a while, it does not hurt anymore. Some, including me, even took the chance of smoking during the day. Segregation fucks your mind up slowly but surely. I even started to think of giving up my studies and joining the gangs.
Day 21, 2 July 2025
Today the exercise again started at 10:15am and before breakfast I handed in a report requesting to submit an assignment. We played cricket with officials during exercise. Mr. Mhlongo told me that my request must be approved by the Head of Center. I hope he approves it.
Day 22, 3 July 2025
I have just crossed the halfway line of my segregation disciplinary punishment for the possession of a memory device. I must emphasize this because never in my wildest dreams did, I ever think, I was going to be treated like an extremely violent, security-risk individual.
I must still serve 20 more days. It was a rainy day, which means no exercise. I never thought that I would grow fond of exercise just to get out of this confined space.
Day 23, 4 July 2025
Today I was given the opportunity to submit my assignments. I had very little time to type up the assignment because the transport was late. I also managed to download another assignment due on the 16th of July. Thank God. THANK THE UNIVERSE.
Day 24, 5 July 2025
It was a cloudy day and no exercise was given. A very rude official by the name of Makheba was working. Fellow prisoners who have been here longer than I have told me that he was the instigator of several assaults on prisoners for no reason. They said he loved beating prisoners, almost as if he had a grudge. The guy in the cell next to me threatened him but he did not react. The guy told me that the official acted like a little puppy in the general population, where prisoners can do something if treated with disrespect. I made the conclusion that Kutuma is a hub of revenge for officials who went through traumatic experiences in prison. Nevertheless, I am starting a new book.
Day 25, 6 July. 2025
This day went by with no exercise, mainly because it was cloudy. Nonetheless the day was as monotonous as the day before.
Day 26, 7 July 2025
Finally, we went to fill up our 25-liter containers with water and were allowed to spend 30 minutes to stretch our legs. It was a nice winter sunny day. It is always a big relief to get out of the cell because in there it feels like a walk-in fridge.
Tomorrow is frightening because apparently, we are going to have a meeting with the officials. Rumors are circulating that there is going to be a change in leadership at Kutuma. We will see if any abuse will take place—everyone in “Passage 2” is talking about it. Maybe I should get ready for my beating.
Day 27, 8 July 2025
This day is going to be interesting. Our exercise was 1 hour and 20 minutes long, the longest since I have been here. After the exercise Mr. Matroos accused us of practicing gangsterism, just because we were talking to each other, but nothing to do with gangsterism was discussed, in my opinion. I think he was just looking for excuses to tighten the lid.
Rumor has it that the new member in charge— Mr. Sithole, a guy who listens to our grievances and requests—is an intellectual and a shotgun asshole. Matroos was ordered to give us a lengthy exercise and he did not like that because when must he sit on his ass and talk shit with other lazy-ass officials? Be that as it may, I believe my end of days in segregation is in sight.
Day 28, 9 July 2025
Even though the weather was perfect for exercise we did not receive any. I am clueless about some questions about my assignment. I will make do with what I have.
Day 29, 10 July 2025
Another sunny winter’s day and I keep noticing how officials make it their mission to piss off inmates. They are so arrogant, as if this job that they are doing is the pinnacle of their intellectual capacity. Goddamn these people are dumb. At least we got 25 minutes to stretch our legs.
Day 30, 11 July 2025
This is a surprise: I have been moved from “Passage 2” to “Passage 1.” That means my security level is lowered. Now smoking is legal but I am still in a single cell and it is not as cold as in “Passage 2.” Maybe they built or planned it like that. I have also noticed there are showers.
My welcome soon turned sour: I saw a blood stain on the wall. Though small, it was still a blood stain. I really must emphasize that this solitary confinement is getting to me—you just cannot seem to get used to it. Today there is a water crisis and we do not have water to flush our toilets with. I do not know how operations work here in “Passage 1” yet.
After they dished our food, we went to fetch water. The officials were busy beating an inmate for so-called bad behavior. Nevertheless, it feels better here; in a small way it shows I have made progress. Oh, and while I was moving the official named Hendricks gave me a little shock with the shock board to hurry me up. I am still contemplating as to what to do. No exercise today.
Day 31, 12 July 2025
The natural light is absent or well-hidden in “Passage 1.” I was near a door while in “Passage 2” so I could see the mountains surrounding the prison up close, but now we rely on a communal radio to get information about the weather. During the counting parade, with my hands up against the wall, Mr. Hendricks again put that shock board against my leg. I did not respond and he asked if he should make the voltage higher. I do not like these intimidating tactics but I must swallow my pride if I want to get out of this hellhole and continue my studies. We had about 45 minutes of exercise.
Day 32, 13 July 2025
We had exercise and filled our 25-liter containers with water. Luckily, we did it before the tap ran dry because some pipe burst again. The days are moving and the end is in sight. Soon I will be out of here.
Day 33, 14 July 2025
Today is a glorious day; they moved me out of segregation and put me into the communal rooms at Kutuma. These room houses high-flyers like gang leaders and people who stab other people—you know the lot: The “scary” prisoners who have shown that they can change or at least submit to authority. Before we went in there we were warned not to fight or stab officials; they would kill anyone who thinks he can do that. And no gangsterism.
When I entered the room, a bed was allocated for me by the “Glas,” the leader of the 27gang. After I made my bed he sent for me again, to identify my rank within the gang, and he also informed me of the modus operandi and the ranks of the others in the room. The gang rituals were kept clandestine so that officials would not be aware. I told the “Glas” that I am studying, and it has been a long time since I was involved in any gang activity. He understood and assigned a Fighting General to bring me up to speed. The whole re-education took about a day and again I had the number in my head. They acknowledged my shift memorization skill of the constitution of the gang and wanted to give me a higher rank. I could not decline.
Conclusion:
Lucky for me I had an assignment to drop at the university hub and the leadership were getting fed up of transporting me to and from it—it is quite a distance. But they only spared me one day. By day 41 I was back in the education section. I know what it is like to be amongst the worst and it did not kill me. I am privileged for seeing and experiencing the atrocious Kutuma for myself. I hope that one day those who were harmed there get justice, because after all we are still human.
One thing these officials must know: Violence begets violence.
One thing the gangs must know: If we do not change, they will not change.
ALUTA CONTINUA
About the Series:
Bearing Witness: Firsthand Accounts of Incarceration, is intended to highlight first-person accounts of those who have experienced incarceration. It is curated by Dr. Baz Dreisinger, Founder and Executive Director of Incarceration Nations Network, a global prison reform and justice reimagining organization.
About the Collection:
Lived Places Publishing is proud to partner with Dr. Baz Dreisinger’s organization to bring you a collection that aims to broaden the scope of real people’s storytelling in Carceral Studies.
The most knowledgeable experts on any government’s justice system are the people who have endured it. The Incarceration Nations Network Collection (LPP/INN) delivers the stories of and by people who have experienced prison firsthand and worldwide and are thus living witnesses to the global catastrophe known as mass incarceration.
Recognizing that the act of bearing witness can take many forms this collection seeks academic memoirs, essay collections, poetry collections, and other forms of ethnographic and autoethnographic tellings that expose the intersection of identity and place. Recognizing, too, that mass incarceration is a global phenomenon, the collection welcomes writers from across the globe and seeks to publish in multiple languages through translation rights and emerging tools.
Dr. Baz Dreisinger is Founder and Executive Director of Incarceration Nations Network, a global prison reform and justice reimagining organization. She is also a Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York; author of the critically acclaimed book Incarceration Nations: A Journey to Justice in Prisons Around the World (published in translation in China, Japan, Taiwan, Italy and in Spanish); founder of John Jay’s groundbreaking Prison-to-College Pipeline program; 2018 Global Fulbright Scholar and current Fulbright Scholar Specialist. Dr. Baz speaks regularly about justice issues on international media and in myriad settings around the world.
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