‘Inhumane’ conditions for prisoners

Conditions outside the KwaDukuza Periodical Court in Umhlali are so bad that some staff believe that prisoners’ rights to human dignity are being abused while they wait to appear in court.

The court is situated next to Umhlali SAPS’ prison cells and every day prisoners who are due to appear in court make the short walk to the court’s waiting area.

Prisoners have to be hand cuffed while they wait, as a barbed wire fence is the only thing between them and escape. Over the years one or two prisoners have pulled a Houdini magic trick and escaped from the court.

The real cause for concern is the lack of shelter and proper seating and safety for prisoners. In wet weather, prisoners are soaked by rain and have to stand in the mud.

The walk to and from the cells is only about 25 metres, but it runs along a fence where prisoners and the public come face to face. According to a court staff member, who did not wish to be named, prisoners have in the past even been given weapons through the fence.

A police officer at Umhlali SAPS, who did not want to be named, said numerous appeals had been made for the refurbishment of the prisoners’ waiting area, for a direct entrance to the waiting area to be built to reduce the risk of escape and to give prisoners cover while they wait to appear.

Even though the court is situated at Umhlali Police Station, it is the responsibility of the Justice department to maintain the waiting area.

Attempts to get a response from the Justice department were unsuccessful at the time of going to print.

Ward 22 councillor Ann McDonnell has been concerned about the conditions at the station and the court for some time. The station is situated in her ward.

“The conditions are absolutely inhumane, it seems like nobody wants to sort it out,” she said.

She also hopes that the charge office at the station will be renovated some time in the future.

“I think that people being made to wait in such circumstances at stressful times is appalling.”