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THE Jali commission of inquiry into corruption in prisons this week heard how prison warders were treated for sexually transmitted infections by an inmate who was allowed to perform "medical duties" at Leeuwkop prison hospital.

Thabo Masopha told the commission, which is currently sitting in Randburg, north of Johannesburg, he had a free reign at the hospital with unlimited access to the dressing room and dispensary.

Despite his lack of medical training, Masopha - who is serving a 25 year prison term - was allowed to prescribe medicine and give the sick inmates and warders injections. He also certified the deaths of those who died at the hospital.

In startling evidence, he revealed how one day a prison warder came to him complaining that he had a sexually transmitted infection called gonorrhoea (known as drop in township lingo).

"He asked me to give him an injection. I took him to the dressing room. I then administered an injection that I had been told was for (gonorrhoea). I asked him to come back for further injections.

"He came to me for another injection after three days. He told me afterwards he was better and he even thanked me with a cooldrink," said Masopha.

He further revealed he treated another prison warder with sores on his penis. He gave him tablets called Superbay 500.

Masopha started working at the hospital in November 1999 as a cleaner. He was later taken to the storeroom by the nurses and shown the medicines.

He was told his responsibility would be to pack the tablets into various containers, put them on a trolley and then deliver them to the prisoners in the various sections of the prison.

Masopha was also taught by the hospital staff how to give an injection and dress the prisoners' wounds.

"I am not trained in any medical field. I also do not know why I was chosen to do this work.

"I must point out that when I was delivering the tablets I was doing so without any supervision from the hospital staff members.

"The nurses in the hospital section had appeared not to want to deal with prisoners for fear of contamination," said Masopha.

Among prisoners treated by Masopha were Barry Heunis and Stanley Ndlovu, who also presented evidence before the commission.

Heunis was a diabetic patient and Masopha was responsible for giving him two insulin injections a day.

A wheelchair-bound Ndlovu confirmed before the commission he was treated by Masopha at the hospital.

Ndlovu, who is serving 15 years for armed robbery, was admitted at the hospital after he was stabbed with a knife in the spinal cord by another prisoner. The attack left him paralysed.

Masopha said he became so diligent in his job that he introduced a diary system whereby every prisoner would sign after receiving injections and tablets.

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