Prisoners organisation calls off hunger strike
The South African Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights (SAPOHR) has called off its hunger strike at correctional facilities across the country.
Prisoners in several facilities embarked on a hunger strike on Monday in a bid for an early release from prisons amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The organisation raised concerns and panic among inmates over the spread of Covid-19 in the country’s overcrowded prisons.
SAPOHR spokesperson Golden Miles Bhudu says prisoners and wardens were notified that the strike has been called off.
“All our members and supporters must go and take their meals and bring back the situation to normality.
“Those who work can go back to work,” says Bhudu.
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He says a memorandum of demands has been handed over to Minister of Correctional Services Ronald Lamola.
“We have submitted our memorandum from the head office and also submitted a memorandum that we sent to our members throughout the country in all correctional centres.
“Let’s go back to normality. We’re waiting for the minister to get come to us. We hope he’ll come back to us tomorrow morning or tomorrow during the day and leave the ball in his court,” he adds.
So far the country has detected 114 cases of coronavirus at prisons.
These comprise 56 inmates at a jail in East London and a further 31 officials at the same facility.
Three other facilities have also reported positive Covid-19 cases.