Social distancing a challenge, says Sun City inmate
Updated | By Sibahle Motha
An inmate at Johannesburg Prison says overcrowding at the facility makes it difficult to maintain social distancing.
Vuyo Gaba, who has been an inmate at the ‘Sun City’ prison for 18 years, says overcrowding remains a challenge at the prison.
“The only challenge is social distancing, since we are staying two people in a cell. There are approximately 9 000 inmates in the prison.
“So overcrowding is challenging, especially in communal cells, where there are around 40 people in a cell. But we are trying to apply this social distancing so that we can avoid contracting the virus.”
Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola, launched a massive screening campaign for coronavirus in the Department of Correctional Services in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
This after an official at the at East London Correctional Centre tested positive for the deadly virus.
The campaign aims to ensure that all correctional officials and inmates are screened for the deadly Covid-19 virus.
The Sun City prison currently houses over 9 000 inmates, with Lamola admitting that there are challenges with overcrowding at the facilities.
“As of yesterday, there is 36% overcrowding. But in places like this, which are big, it is not 36% but double the number of what is expected.
“We have bigger challenges in bigger centres because they are in the city.”
The country’s current inmate population stands at 161 000 offenders and 38 000 correctional officials.
#Covid19inSA Sun City Prison inmate Vuyo Ngaba says the biggest challenge in prison is around social distancing. pic.twitter.com/SUcxSG1xA3
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) April 8, 2020
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