Inmates list grievances

2009-08-13 21:01

Bloemfontein - A small group of inmates at a Free State prison were on Thursday urged to give officials time to address their grievances.

Deputy Minister of Correctional Services, Hlengiwe Mkhize, met six of about 90 inmates who had embarked on a hunger strike for the past week.

She told the group at the Mangaung Correctional Centre outside Bloemfontein: "You have a set of issues. Give us a chance to look at it."

The prison is a maximum security facility, one of two in South Africa, managed through a public-private partnership.

Mkhize told the inmates to suspend their "food refusal action" to create a better environment for discussion.

"Let's fight verbally and create a partnership," she said.

The inmates agreed to suspend the hunger strike.

Earlier, one of the inmates, who cannot be named, told the deputy minister they had a problem with the "exploitative practices" at the prison.

He also accused the prison management of racism, corruption, propaganda, providing sub-standard training and material as well as not providing inmates with internet access.

He added there was no rehabilitation and there was a lack of security in the prison.

"The government is losing millions - they are paying too much here," he said, adding: "We're protecting our government in here."

The inmates were also not happy that the department's re-classification system was not applicable to the two privately run centres.

However, the Correctional Services Deputy Commissioner on Security and Remand, Willem Damons, said although the Mangaung prison was initially excluded, the re-classification (management) tool would be instituted soon.

- SAPA