(1989). Kilikijan retaliated by saying that he didn't trust Nongoloza, believing he had added this law to the hide after half of the rock was lost. The franse is stripped of his juridical personhood. Punishments that do not involve any harm to the offender involve the murder of a non-gang member. The origins of the gang remain uncertain at best. In the late '80s a decision was taken to stop bloodlines (no stabbing). 28 & 26 nazo mbhemi. an economically strong gang and have been brutal outside the prison's of South Africa due to the power that the 28s have in prison; however, in some prisons they have risen up against the 28s and taken control of the prison (see "general elections" below), such as in Westville. Nongoloza decides to name the coin a "Spyker" (nail) while Kilkijan insists that they should call it a "Kroon" (crown). Two of the paintings feature hide-shaped pieces of vylene onto which tattoos worn by members of the 28 prison gang have been transferred. The cell cleaner will welcome the new prisoner to the cell, and will either leave him alone for the evening, or will demand intercourse. They are considered to be the sex slaves of the gold line. The two were instructed to carry them wherever they went. Personal Website. This practice is known as "slow puncture". The first conflict between the two gangs took place because of this incident. The origins of the gang remain uncertain at best. He then told Ngeleketshane to travel to the mines to see if men were engaging in sex with one another. They could possibly suffocate the offender in their bed or slit their throat. Chef. 'The Cows of Nongoloza' : Youth, Crime and Amalaita Gangs in Durban, 1900-1936* PAUL LA HAUSSE (African Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand) Forms of youth organisation and culture which emerged amongst Afi-ican migrants in towns during the first decades of the century remain obscure. After the glas is satisfied with the answer of the new inmate, he is given a task to become a member. Po ordered the two men to carve their daily outlaw activities on a nearby rock which would serve as a diary. [citation needed], Relationships with franse (non gang members). You will never swear at your brother. If he says that his pulse beats twice, it means the new recruit is being recruited into the silver line; if three times, it means he is being recruited into the gold line. The 26s were responsible for gambling, smuggling and accruing wealth in general. They threw the soldiers out of their ranks and filled these ranks with silver line members. Schurink's paper (1989) summarises the findings of a study on prison gangs commissioned by the Department of Correctional Services. The gang has a strict code of conduct and failure to abide by these rules has severe consequences for the perpetrator. The 27s are the most secretive division, and enforce gang law. Extortion, Rape, Inmate Prostitution, Murder, Illegal Gambling, Smuggling, Robbery, Contract Killings, Drug Trafficking, Weapon trafficking. Under the new system, however, the warders have become targets. The numbers gang system is an intricate social structure with its own language, codes of conduct and rules every member must adhere to. They must focus on the number gang. Amongst gang members, the likely apocryphal story of Nongoloza and Ngeleketshane is claimed as the gang's origin. In the first two months a new member is not allowed to receive visits, write letters or read books. Click here to view more of Davie's work.It all started with a horse back in 1886 - a horse that went missing and had to be found or paid The six men would sit in a circle and flip a single silver coin between them. The hospital beds were filled with soldiers from the 28 gang. The 28s are the blood line of the gang and are responsible for fighting on behalf of the three gangs (26, 27 and 28). Number gang language learn - inombolo. They grow up with emotional scars caused by repeated trauma and pain from parent’s action, words or attitudes. Other forms of punishment include gang rape and what is known as a "carry on", in which the offender lifts up his arms and is beaten with padlocks, stick and cups. Bheki 2$6 skhothane. Haysom, N. (1981). Upon returning, Ngeleketshane found Nongoloza engaged in homosexual acts with Magubane. The mambozas begin to teach the new member to sabela (speak prison language). Kilkijan defended the gamblers against the 28's sexual appetites, which is what Nongoloza wanted them for. At Point Prison they encountered a group of six men, led by a man named Grey, who were franse (non-gangsters). Mr. Rabie was suspicious, and refused to sell the two men the bull. The silver line then set out their terms. You are a 28. Finally the three camps were formed. 5 talking about this. The History Of South African Prison Gangs like most underworld Culture such as the Mafia’s Code Of Omerta is shrouded in alluring mystery.. It will only be a brief fragment of the story, for he is still too junior to hear the whole story. All these items went to the silver lines instead. It is the most violent prison in South Africa and has the highest number of prison gangs. When a new prisoner is assigned a cell he will be introduced to the person in charge of that cell, known as the "cell cleaner". The Numbers Gang story holds that a man named Po became alarmed by the exploitation of miners in late 1800s South Africa. Less severe forms of punishment include "klappe" (hits), which involves 10 slaps to the face with an open hand, and the "beker" (mug), which involves blows on the head with a tin cup attached to a sock. Po ordered the men to take the hide of the bull and press it onto the diary rock until the words from the rock were imprinted on the hide. Should a member stay in the lower ranks, he will be considered a woman and will be sexually abused until he proves his manhood. In both cases the 26s were declared the "ruling party". They are also expected to know the "Number" to the extent that the new members are often woken up in the middle of the night and asked the "Number"; if they get it wrong they either have to have sex with any fellow brother or are asked to kill another inmate. A prison cannot have two active nyangis, for example, and if another nyangi is transferred from another prison he is considered dormant – he sleeps in the 40s. This change came along because of the war between the silver and gold lines of the number. The new recruit will be given a knife whose length is determined by another senior member of the gang known as the nyangi (the doctor). Later Ngeleketshane told him that these men were skilled smugglers and gamblers who had helped him in his early days in prison. They moved from cave to cave and split themselves into two groups: Ngeleketshane with his seven men who robbed by day, and Nongoloza and his six men who robbed by night. Due to the death of Po, a final decision on whether sexual intercourse between men was allowed never came to pass. [citation needed], One of the most compelling messages that the numbers gang members like to send to the warders is by holding up a mirror toward the warden. Nongoloza informed Ngeleketshane that he and his men would have to answer for the actions of the 26s. A member moves up the ranks through the stabbing or killing of rival gangs, prison guards, or disobedient members. The message the numbers are said to be sending is, "We are what you are. The nyangi then takes a gold pipe and slaps it on the new recruit's right wrist, then takes a silver pipe and slaps it on the new recruit's left wrist. The 28’s believe in Nongoloza and the 27’s believe in Kilikijan. The 28 gang approved the boy-wives relationship (homo-sexual) among its gang members. Chapter 1: Nongoloza and Kilikijan The historical Nongoloza The 26s, 27s and 28s all originate from bands of outlaws that plagued late 19th and early 20th-century Johannesburg. Whatever you do to us, we will do to you in turn.". The gang has a very specific hierarchy, structured as follows: In the number 2s and the number 1s there is a number 1's and number 2's twelve point ring, for number 4's and 5's, but not 6's or 7's, who have an 11 point ring, unless they're number 8's, which make gang decisions according to their jurisdictions. The history of the numbers gang differs from gang to gang, however, there are a few agreements between the different gang members. An execution squad will carry out the order. A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF GANGSTERISM IN SOUTH AFRICAN CORRECTIONAL CENTRES: THE CASE OF BARBERTON MANAGEMENT AREA by SARAH LETTIE NEL submitted in accordance with the requirements If somebody learns too slowly, the punishments are severe. The ultimate punishment is death. "Ngelejani's" gang from which the 26 gang developed, disapproved the boy-wives relationship. The Numbers Gang was started in the late 1800s, supposedly to protect mineworkers. Schurink, W. J. The time differs as to when the groups actually got together, however, it has been mentioned that it was sometime between 1880 and 1890. Under certain conditions it is compulsory to kill a member of the Big Five gang and new gangs called raf3 and raf4 rar3 broke away from the 26 and vice versa with the raf4 28. The new member has to sabela all day and night with his blackboard (teacher). Towards an understanding of prison gangs Institute of Criminology, University of Cape Town.Cape Town, This page was last edited on 20 February 2021, at 21:32. The two gangs decided to embark on a joint expedition, but Nongoloza said he was sick and stayed behind. If you leave the camp, you leave by your own blood.". In the article below, researcher and journalist Lucille Davie, tells the story of Nongoloza, the mythic figure who established the infamous Ninevites gang. Each rank has its own assigned office and duties which include training lower rank members in the duties and codes of the gang.[3]. The silver line are the female, and are the descendants of Magubane. Van Onselen, New Babylon, New Nineveh, 368–397. Nongoloza grew increasingly wary about what Mtjoetijies was saying to the white officers, and decided to kill him as a precaution. Nongoloza demanded that the men hand over their possessions to him; they refused. Amongst gang members, the likely apocryphal story of Nongoloza and Ngeleketshane is claimed as the gang's origin.. The gold line are the warriors, the descendants of Nongoloza. South Africa has eleven official languages, which consist of Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. The fundamental principles remain the same; however, in modern 28 law the man who trains you is now also allowed to have sex with you. This derives from the traditional practice of holding up an image of an inmate. It was decided that when a gangster broke a rule, the blood of a warder or franse (non-gangster) must be spilled to set things right. You are standing under an umbrella. The end of the ceremony is signalled by the new recruit being marched out of the circle. It began with Po, a man who is the embodiment of the fight for rights of all black people, who sees the exploitation of the black man in the mines of South Africa and realises that these young men need deliverance. They communicate through the 27s. The numbers gangs refer to themselves as ndodas (men) and refer to non-gang members as franse. It is at this prison, that the numbers gang are thriving and are at its highest population. The silver line complained that the gold line were now not doing their jobs. They closed down the gold line and vowed that it would never be opened again. The two men fought until they were both drenched in blood, and Po arrived to intervene. Jump to. Po allegedly befriended a young Zulu called Nongoloza who said he was on his way to the mines to look for work, and Ngeleketshane, a member of the Pondo tribe. Bar. However, the balance of power now varies from prison to prison over time. The origins of the gang remain uncertain at best. The new inmate's answer will determine his future in the prison. This name was chosen because they had six men but also because Nongoloza wanted to indicate their inferior status. Upon the closing of the bloodlines the gold line demanded that they get the food they wanted since there was no longer a need to stay fit. He taught them a secret language and highway robbery. Photo: Known as Charlie in Pollsmoor prison, The Book is a 28 member with all the laws of the Number tattooed on his skin. The XXVIII are distinguished by their organized system of “wyfies” (coerced homosexual partners). Another reason a person could be a mamboza is because his position has already being filled by another member. After Po's death the two gangs decided to go their separate ways: Nongoloza's gang with its now eight men (including Magubane, whom he decided to take with him), and Kilikijan's gang with its seven. He is not seen as a human to the gangs. Number gangs are saturated with an old myth about Nongoloza which makes them unstoppable until today The Number is God, the Number is the reason, the Number is the story, is the question and the answer. For example, they were not allowed to eat eggs and were never allowed sugar with their coffee or porridge. Towards an understanding of prison gangs Institute of Criminology, University of Cape Town. He then checks the recruit's pulse and declares either "Die man se pols klop twee keer per jaar" (This man's pulse beats twice a year) or "Die man se pols klop drie keer per jaar'" (This man's pulse beats three times a year). Modern members are now expected both to kill upon order of their general, as well as to have sex with their teacher. He will watch how the new prisoner deals with conflict, the way he solves problems, and the way he walks and talks. It explores the prevalence of gangs in society and in prisons and offers recommendations for … On a Sunday, the "day of rites", his ceremony is performed. The stamps signify promotion. There are 3 … The two items were divided between the two men: Nongoloza received the hide and Ngeleketshane received the rock. The glas' job is to conduct gang business in die bos (the bush), the parts of the prison where the 28s are not active. Ngeleketshane defended the gamblers against the 28s' sexual appetites, which was what Nongoloza wanted them for. The gold line formally offered their surrender. The Number is everything. Dis page is about the secret number gangs in South Afrika. Nongoloza (born Mzuzephi Mathebula) also known as Jan Note, a Zulu African from Natal, worked for two criminals based on the Witwatersrand, Tyson and McDonald, assisting them with robbing passenger coaches or carts carrying miners' wages.Upon leaving his employers, Note sought out the area's Zulu-speaking … The language they use, is a result of the diverse community in prisons in South Africa. They knew that the warders would not be watched by human rights groups, so when there was a stabbing of an officer the warders would beat the gang members to within an inch of their lives. Nongoloza’s Legacy: The History Of South Africa’s Number Prison Gangs. The 28s then take the new recruit to the 26s and 27s. The piece was first published on the City of Johannesburg's website on 9 January 2008. The largest and most memorable of these gangs was called The Ninevites; its rank and file were lumpenproletarians—young black men who When the 28s recruit a new member, the 28s inform the 27s who then inform the 26s. The second worst punishment just short of death is to be raped by a prisoner that is known to carry HIV. "Nangampela" is an isiZulu word that means, literally, "There it is, indeed! He asked one of Ngeleketshane's soldiers, Magubane, to stay behind with him. Amongst gang members, the likely apocryphal story of Nongoloza and Ngeleketshane is claimed as the gang's origin.. He also interviewed Pollsmoor inmates, conducted a series of writing workshops, and did research around Numbers symbolism, rituals and founding heroes, Nongoloza (28 gang) and Kilikijan (27 gang). This man is dead, but his place in the hierarchy is left empty. Once sentenced by the South African Department of Corrections (DOC), the prisoners are classified into 3 different categories. Po eventually recruited 15 young men. Legend has it that Mtjoetijies was a translator for Nongoloza, who refused to speak the language of the white oppressor. However, the system works only in … Acta Criminologica 2:2, 60–70. Haysom, N. (1981). The 28’s: Rape Philipp Engelhorn … Called the Warriors, the South African gang 28s are the senior gang. The time differs as to when the groups actually got together, however, it has been mentioned that it was sometime between 1880 and 1890. He stands and says to the recruit: "From today you are no longer a franse. The two youths refused to leave without carrying out their order, and proceeded to stab the farmer with bayonets and then steal the bull, and slaughter it for a feast. South African number gangs known as 26, 27, 28 are known to be one of the most violent criminal subcultures worldwide. He worked with the producers of the film, which was selected as South Africa’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards in 2013.