Oscar Pistorius will be committed to the hospital wing of one of South Africa's toughest prisons if the double-amputee Olympic track star is sentenced to jail time for killing his girlfriend, the head of the prison service said on Thursday.

On the fourth day of Pistorius' sentencing hearing, Zach Modise, who has worked in the prison service for 35 years, was questioned by the defence about conditions at the Pretoria Central Prison, Pistorius' most likely destination because of its disabled facilities.

Modise, Acting National Commissioner for Correctional Services, was the second state witness to testify in aggravation of sentence.

He told the court that South African prisons are able to accommodate the needs of Pistorius as an amputee, if he is given a jail sentence.

"I said in Parliament (Wednesday) that the department is ready to take in people with disabilities in prison," Modise said during his testimony.

He added that a prisoner was allowed to bring in his medical assistance devices and was allowed to be seen by his private doctor.

Defence lawyer Barry Roux put it to Modise if he knew that there was a prison gang that had threatened to harm Pistorius after he shot his girlfriend.

Modise responded, "My lady, in our facilities in the country we have gangs that are operating and trying to take over the running of the centres. But I can assure this court that the Department of Correctional Services is dealing with the issue of gangsterism. We are doing that with the South African Police Service and our intelligence community."

Tampers also flared between defence lawyer Barry Roux and state prosecutor Gerrie Nel on Thursday. Nel was re-examining Modise when Roux jumped on his feet and said, "I think Mr. Nel must take the oath because he is giving evidence."

Nel hit back saying, "My Lady, I don't find that funny. I could make the same sarcastic remark, but I decided not to."

However, Roux later apologized and withdrew his comment when judge Thokozile Masipa raised her objection to it.

Pistorius was charged for murder after shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door. However, Judge Thokozile Masipa found her guilty of capable homicide after accepting his explanation that he shot after thinking there was an intruder in his house.

Sentencing resumes on Friday.

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