Online Reporter
Prisoners at Kgosi Mampuru in South Africa are being made to pay fellow inmates for a place to sleep.
And those, who cannot come up with the R240 are allegedly left on the concrete floor of a cramped, stuffy cell that reeks of urine and holds more than 30 men.
The money is then funnelled into the bank account of a man, who calls the shots from outside the prison walls.
This is according to two men who spent time in the cells this year, one of whom said he was handed a cellphone and bank details within hours of arriving and told to arrange payment for his bed.
Cells C1 and C2 at the Tshwane facility, they said, were run by an inmate who had appointed himself in charge, and the bunk came with a filthy price, with sex too often demanded in return for a place to sleep.
Approached for comment, the Department of Correctional Services said it was investigating the claims.
‘R240 for a bunk bed’
A man arrested on May 18 for allegedly stealing R980,000 said he spent time in both cells while waiting for his bail application to be heard.
He said it was the worst two days of his life.
The man, who asked not to be named because he did not want the ordeal attached to his name or risk jeopardising his bail, was taken to Kgosi Mampuru on May 20.
“I was told I must buy a bed. So, I went to this guy in one of the cells and was given a cellphone and account details.
“I had to phone my wife and give her the details.”
The price was R240 for a bunk bed, which came with a mattress.
“My wife then paid and had to send the proof of payment to that number,” he said.
He spent that night in C1 and was moved to C2 on the morning of May 21.
“It was real hell here. If you choose a bed, you are attached to that bed,” he said.
He said the men in C2 had sex openly and in numbers, and that pressure was placed on those who had just arrived.
Correctional services spokesman Singabakho Nxumalo said the claims warranted investigation.
“The allegations raised are serious and warrant that an investigation be conducted in order to establish if such is indeed a case,” he said.
“Our standard operating procedures do not allow such a practice to happen in our facilities.
There are methods being followed when inmates are being admitted. They ought to be offered a bed, toiletries and all other essentials.
These are provided at no cost to the inmate.”
Nxumalo said the department found the allegations disturbing.
“It is thus disturbing to hear of such allegations as they have no place in our facilities,” he said.
“An investigation will be conducted and a detailed response forwarded to your publication.”
The department did not address the claims about sexual coercion in its response.
Kgosi Mampuru II is made up of six centres, one of them a remand facility holding people who have not been convicted of anything.
National commissioner Makgothi Thubakgale told a briefing in February that the department had brought 312 disciplinary cases against officials over contraband smuggling, of which 266 had been finalised, and that banned goods reached inmates through visitors and through corrupt staff. — IOL.
