Detention centres slammed
Concourt judge says living conditions unsanitary, deplorable
AREPORT has revealed details of the sickening conditions a Constitutional Court judge and his clerks witnessed on a visit to prison centres earlier this year. The report by Justice Edward Cameron was on the Pollsmoor Remand Detention Facility and Pollsmoor Women’s Correctional Centre in Cape Town
“The extent of overcrowding‚ unsanitary conditions‚ sickness‚ emaciated physical appearance of the detainees‚ and overall deplorable living conditions were profoundly disturbing,” he wrote.
He found that cell conditions were so filthy that detainees had “boils‚ scabies‚ wounds and sores from lice-infested bedding that has never been washed”.
The Detention Justice Forum (DJF) has welcomed the report.
It said yesterday the judge had also described the failure of the Department of Correctional Services to comply with basic standards required by the Bill of Rights and the Correctional Services Act.
The forum said: “He said these failures had resulted in appalling conditions for the men and women in remand detention.
“The visit was undertaken in April‚ as part of the Constitutional Court’s prison visiting project.”
Cameron wrote further: “Detainees are sick and can’t access medicines due to persistent stockouts of basic supplies‚ including tuberculosis medication.
“Little HIV-testing occurs‚ and inmates who require antiretroviral treatment remain undiagnosed.
“Detainees are locked in their cells for 24 hours a day and some are only given a chance to exercise once a month.
“Toilets do not flush and inmates cannot take showers due to broken plumbing.
“Stuck in conditions that are 300% overcrowded‚ detainees are ex- tremely idle and frustrated.” The DJF said the judge had also found that detainees were treated “worse than animals”.
In addition‚ people detained solely due to their alleged status as undocumented migrants were held in the same cells as the criminally accused. This was against international standards.
Cameron’s visit was conducted together with Department of Correctional Services regional commissioner Delelike Klaas and other senior correctional officials.
The forum said that “worryingly [they] seemed just as shocked as the Constitutional Court judge and his clerks”.
It said the report contained clear and achievable recommendations for urgent implementation.
“These seek to ensure compliance with elementary standards and constitutional requirements‚ such as clean bedding‚ three meals a day‚ access to medicines‚ reading materials‚ daily exercise‚ and separating alleged undocumented migrants from other detainees,” it said.
“Justice Cameron has also made recommendations to address systemic causes of the abusive conditions in Pollsmoor.
“These include inadequate resourcing‚ staff to inmate ratios‚ overcrowding‚ access to health care‚ improved cooperation with the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services‚ and addressing infrastructural failures.”
The forum said it would use the report to hold Correctional Services accountable to the plan of action detailed in the report.
“The forum also encourages other judges and magistrates to follow the example . . . and to visit on a regular basis prisons in their jurisdictions,” it said.
The DJF consists of civil society organisations concerned with detainees’ rights. It was established in March 2012. – RDM Newswire
‘ Detainees are sick and can’t access medicines due to stockouts