Police arrested more than 20 people from the protesting group last week. They were later released on bail. A youth leader of the Mthwakazi Youth Resolution, the pressure group at the forefront of the protest, said after the court granted bail to the arrested people, the prison officials breached basic jail rules and minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners.
“They put the arrested people in a maximum prison in D-CLASS cells which are reserved for those convicted of serious crimes ranging from murder to rape and armed robbery, “ said the youth, who refused to be named.
Most of the youths could not manage the $50 bail as they are unemployed.
“They forced the victims to sleep with convicted criminals instead of in remand cells, which is a contravention of accepted international practices,” added the youth. Another youth painted a chilling account of the human rights violations at Khami Prison.
“The treatment of prisoners in state prisons is below minimum standards and a direct violation of human rights,” he said.
He revealed that on average two inmates shared a square metre space with more than 40 people. Sick prisoners with diseases like TB sleep in the same room as healthy prisoners. In addition, the prison food is inedible, according to the youths.
Post published in: News