Prison spurns 'inedible' bread

2003-03-10 08:21

Elaine Anderson

Pietermaritzburg - More than 2 000 loaves of bread delivered to New Prison in Napierville at the weekend had to be sent back to Phoenix Bakery in Durban when furious prison officials found them unacceptable for human consumption.

Officials complained this was not the first time bread of this quality had been delivered.

More than 2 000 prisoners have had diarrhoea for more than three weeks, but officials don't know if the bread caused it.

Some of the loaves were "under proofed, or over proofed" (not properly risen), stale, broken, had black patches on them or were underweight.

Human resources manager Kenneth Mthombeni said they had a standing order for 1 100 loaves of bread a day.

"On Saturday, we turned away 1 100 loaves because the bread was of an inferior quality.

Never had a problem before - bakery

"We reached a compromise with the delivery man and he said he would leave a few loaves for the prisoners to eat and then deliver 2 200 loaves on Sunday.

"However, when the bread was delivered it was exactly the same and we turned them away again."

Mthombeni said correctional services had a constitutional duty to treat prisoners as humanely as possible.

"We have an obligation and owe it to our prisoners to protect their interests."

Prison head Bhekinkosi Mchunu said they would have a problem if the prisoners had to go hungry.

"What if they started a riot because they were hungry? There would be big problems here," he said.

Bakery owner Ishmail Mahomed said: "There was a problem with the bread, the loaves weren't the correct weight and the texture was not correct, but it was rectified."

He said he has been delivering bread to the prison for six months and there had been no problems before. "Just this problem over the weekend and it becomes a big issue," he said.

However, he promised to take back all the bread that was unacceptable and to bake on Sunday night and then personally deliver the bread on Monday.

- The Witness