Qalakabusha Prison | Fears of prison break as storm damages jail

DURBAN - Millions will have to be poured in to refurbish the Qalakabusha prison in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

The Empangeni correctional centre sustained massive damage during violent storms on 3 April but, the more pressing concern is that of a possible prison escape.

The damage is estimated at R65-million rand.

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Fences, roofs, and passages have been destroyed.

Warders say they are now the last line of defence.

A nearby community wants correctional services to update them if they are at risk.

Community member Thokozani Mchunu said, "there are a lot of ways to update the community nowadays because we have social media platforms or even calling us a community meeting. We have an open space. We can sit down and talk about the issue."

"Update the community or is there something that can happen to be safe or what?"

Correctional Services says engineers have visited the site and the damage is still being quantified.

Some inmates have been transferred to other centres and security has been ramped up.