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46 000+ awaiting trial in SA
29/06/2007 15:56 - (SA)
Pretoria - A total of 46 327 people are awaiting trial in prisons across the country, the SA Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights (Saphor) said on Friday.
Leading a protest in Pretoria to voice grievances relating to awaiting trial prisoners, Golden Miles Bhudu of Saphor said the organisation was creating awareness of people languishing in prisons without knowing when their cases would be heard.
"We are not condoning criminal activities. If you commit a crime, you will go to jail.
"We are saying that it is unnecessary to arrest people as if it's a fashion statement and those people sit in jail and never go to court," he said.
The protest, attended by about 30 people, took place outside the Justice and Constitutional Development department offices in Pretoria on Friday.
Bhudu handed over a memorandum which was received by Advocate Simon Jiyane, the deputy director general of Court Services in the justice department.
Some cases 'take too long'
The memorandum recommended to the department that offenders who are granted bail of R500 less and terminally ill offenders be released pending their hearing.
The length of time spent in custody for awaiting prisoner must also be considered when the offender is finally convicted.
The department replied by saying they acknowledge that "there are cases that take far too long for finalisation".
Jiyane said non-governmental organisations, like Saphor, can provide the department with information on specific cases that need urgent attention.
Saphor gave the department until the end of the year to reply to its memorandum.
Time in prison
Serge Joao Christiano who spent seven years and six months in jail awaiting trial, also attended the protest.
He said he was having difficulties sorting out his citizenship papers because of the time he spent in prison.
He is an asylum seeker from Angola and all his permits have expired.
"I can't do anything right now, like open a business or go to school, " he said, adding that he wanted to study law to help other prisoners awaiting trial.
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