Coronavirus prison risk claim spurned

A woman whose husband is serving time at Leeuhof prison in Vereeniging says she is worried about his health as the facility does not provide masks and hand sanitisers as protection against the coronavirus.

But the department rejects these accusations as “threatrics aimed at triggering a sense of instability in our correctional centres”.

The woman, who declined to be named to protect her husband, said she was aware she was not allowed to see him during this time, but it was disappointing that she was denied permission to give him gloves, masks and hand sanitiser.

“My husband is one of the inmates at the prison and it was brought to my attention that they are not being given anything to protect themselves from the coronavirus. There are no masks or sanitiser whatsoever. I called on Friday to find out if I can buy him gloves and everything to protect against the disease, but they refused,” she said.

Her biggest fear was that there was no social distancing in the cells.

Department of correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said the department was putting in measures to fight Covid-19 focusing on prevention, contamination, treatment and disaster recovery.

“The department has activated infection prevention control measures at all management areas with specific directives to ensure personal protective equipment is availed.”

No Covid-19 cases had been reported in correctional centres so far.