Fussy felons in cell hostage drama

By Barry Bateman

A case of shoddy chef's work landed two police constables in a pickle when inmates at the Enkangala police station held them hostage for about 30 minutes.

The brief hostage drama started at about 5.30pm yesterday when the officers, a male and female, entered cell No 2 to deliver food to the men.

Police spokesman Captain Sipho Zulu said hostage negotiators and the intervention unit were summoned but the situation had been defused before they arrived at the scene, about 50km east of Pretoria.

Zulu said that as the two officers entered the cell, the inmates grabbed them. "They said they were unhappy with the food.

"But when their investigating officer spoke to the men, they would not say exactly what was wrong with the food," he said.

A police officer on the scene, who did not identify herself, said the men threw the plates on the floor before grabbing the officers.

She said the pair had razor blades and threatened to cut the officers.

After about 30 minutes the inmates released the constables without harming them, Zulu said.

• This article was originally published on page 1 of The Pretoria News on December 09, 2009