Covid-19: Prisoners fear for their lives

Prisoners at Johannesburg Correctional Centre, better known as “Sun City” claim to lack personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing, no social distancing which put them at risk of being exposed to the virus.

Some prisoners at Sun City have reacted by going on a hunger strike and protesting since last week.

A prisoner said since the outbreak of the pandemic, he has feared for his life as he has seen fellow inmates die in front of him.

He said two weeks ago, three prisoners have died apparently due to Covid-19 at the Medium A section but he alleges that the prison management is keeping it under wraps.

“It’s a mess here to tell you the truth. We don’t even have a doctor or nurses on site. We don’t have PPE, we don’t practice social distancing at all. The situation is very bad. People are dying, each and every day. Last week two diabetic prisoners died because they didn’t get their injections. It’s really bad. I even had to buy my own mask, because we are not provided with any,” he said.

“It is even worse at trial. There is overcrowding that is ignored. If you don’t have money, you’re nothing here. Money talks.”

The prisoner claimed that in some cases three men have to make use of one bed.

Another prisoner said he knows 10 prisoners who had died of suspected Covid-19, and claimed many more were sick with the disease.

“It was bad to see my friend’s lifeless body being taken out of the section.

“He was more of a brother to me; his death was declared Covid-19-related. We don’t have any PPE here, social distancing is almost impossible, we get a sanitiser sometimes,” said Nxumalo.

“We were only given one mask each about two weeks ago, a mask you’re expected to wash and use repeatedly. A prisoner is taken to quarantine once they notice his situation is serious. Wardens have also died on our watch.”

In response, the Department of Correctional Services spokesperson Logan Maistry denied that the situation was out of control.

He said that as at 26 July, only 18 inmates had died of Covid-19 throughout the country, while 37 correctional services officials had also succumbed to the virus.

According to official figures up to that date, there had been 4 864 confirmed cases nationally, of which 3 162 were officials and 1 702 inmates. There had been 3 502 recoveries.