PSA demands testing for all prison officials

THE Public Servants Association (PSA) has demanded Covid-19 tests for all prison employees and offenders “to avert a looming national crisis”.

This comes after an outbreak at the Heilbron Correctional Facility in the Free State, which resulted in the transfer of all offenders to various correctional centres in that province.

The PSA yesterday said its “continuous requests” to implement a reduction of staff per shift to limit the spread of the virus among officials and offenders had been ignored by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS).

“Despite continuous talks to arrange for testing, this has still not been approved. On June 26, 2020, some offenders, owing to frustration, broke out of their cells and set the centre alight. The fire resulted in a decision that all 600 offenders be transferred to various correctional centres and 160 offenders being released on parole immediately,” the statement read.

DCS spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo, however, said the incident was not Covid-19 related. “The Potchefstroom (fire) incident must never be made to be Covid-19-related as that was an act of hooliganism by detainees who are demanding that they be taken to court.”

Nxumalo said the department had been on the front line “of the ferocious battle against the Coronavirus and has gained serious ground with a 72% recovery rate”.

“It is unimaginable that a department which, on May 26, 2020 had 482 confirmed inmate cases, could today talk of 70 requiring treatment and monitoring,” Nxumalo said.