THE Department of Correctional Services has suspended soccer legend Andries "Chaka Chaka" Mpondo and his colleague for allegedly transporting a convict home for a cup of coffee.

THE Department of Correctional Services has suspended soccer legend Andries "Chaka Chaka" Mpondo and his colleague for allegedly transporting a convict home for a cup of coffee.

Sowetan reported earlier that Mpondo, pictured, and Godfrey Ntshenkong were arrested last week after taking Christopher "Gielie" Willemse home for coffee instead of taking him back to Krugersdorp Prison cells after a court appearance.

Willemse, who is doing time in Krugersdorp Prison for assault, had to testify in the Johannesburg magistrate's court last Tuesday.

The warders' suspension on Tuesday only served to expose what Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union described as an "entrenched history of double standards" within the department.

This was after the department failed to suspend a senior manager after prisoners managed to get hold of his gun.

Sowetan reported that Nduduzo Buthelezi had asked prisoners to wash his car with his gun in the cubbyhole.

The prisoners got hold of his gun but decided to hand it over to management. "Though Buthelezi had committed a dismissible offence, he was never suspended.

"What worries us is that they were too quick to suspend our two comrades for an offence which did not put anyone in danger," said a Popcru member who did not want to be named.

Simon Madini of Popcru said yesterday they wanted Buthelezi's case to be revisited.

"The department is infested with managers who are well-known for applying double standards. We want Buthelezi's case to be revisited. We have had incidents where warders were shot dead by fleeing inmates," Madini said.

He said the union would be monitoring the investigations to ensure that Mpondo and Ntshenkong are treated fairly.