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Showdown at Pretoria Central
By Cedric Mboyisa
JOHANNESBURG – Pandemonium looms at Pretoria Central Prison as inmates have threatened to burn it down in protest against the proposed relocation of prisoners.
The CitizenThe Citizen
In the letter, he gives in detail the action prisoners plan to take to thwart the shuffle (believed to begin today) of the medium A units and maximum security prisoners in G-Section (medium B).
A main group of offenders, working prisoners, have indicated they will bring a class action application to the Pretoria High Court on the following basis:
* The procedures of fair administrative justice were not followed;
* They work in the workshops or maintenance teams and live in single cell accommodation.
* The move means they have to be relocated to group cells, which cater for about 26 prisoners with “only one toilet that does not work, two showers and two basins”.
* They won’t get proper rest because of constant movement and noise in group cells.
* There is never warm water available in G-Section.
* As working inmates their visits will be compromised if they move to D-Section or G-Section because the intercom is not working.
* A-Section is not as secure as G-Section or D-Section. Medium category and working prisoners are going to be forced into maximum security units.
* It seems maximum prisoners will be receiving more consideration and benefits than the medium category and working offenders.
The working inmates said they would refuse to continue working under these conditions.
The maximum offenders are also not amused at the possibility of moving into a single-cell environment. They have simply threatened to incinerate the jail.
The Citizen visited the prison and spoke to two inmates, on condition of anonymity.
They painted a chilling picture.
“Ngconde Balfour (Correctional Services Minister) usually refers to this place as a ‘centre of excellence’ but it is a centre of oppression,” said one inmate.
He said they were living in appalling conditions and given unsatisfactory food – half-cooked chicken and stale apples.
The other inmate said corruption was rife. “The guy now in charge of security here was involved in the disappearance of R90 000 but the incident was swept under the carpet,” he said.
He alleged the money vanished from the prison’s tuck shop.
The two prisoners also said a certain black warder was racist toward whites.
“There are many complaints about the woman (warder) but no action ever seems to be taken,” they said.
During the visit, four white visitors could be overheard complaining about the same warder.
The two inmates said the problem was prison management, which, they said, was plagued by division and jostling for position.
When asked for comment, the Pretoria Central Prison director Bhuti Mchunu referred all our inquiries to the acting area commissioner Sibusiso Madlazi.
According to Madlazi, if relocation were to take place, there would be “a valid reason for it”.
But he declined to make further comments claiming The Citizen had conducted “unauthorised” interviews with the inmates.
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