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Article

2 Mar 2020

Author:
Elna Schütz, Ground Up (South Africa)

So. Africa: Report reveals inmates tortured by private companies controlling prison facilities; Includes company comments

‘Official report into Bloemfontein prison reveals mistreatment of inmates’ 3 March 2020

A long-awaited official report into conditions at the Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein says that inmates were assaulted by staff, forcibly injected with medication, and locked in a cell without a toilet, lighting, windows, or ventilation. Following an almost six-year long legal fight, The Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS) has received the results of the investigation by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) into incidents at the prison while it was controlled by private companies G4S and Bloemfontein Correctional Contracts (BCC) in 2013.

…One of the incidents says that an inmate sustained injuries “as a result of being assaulted by officials” and says management did not follow the required processes that would allow for force by officials. BCC responds there were no visible injuries and that the company had received approval for the use of force by the Controller (a member of staff appointed by DCS) and expected this to be correctly reported to the Inspecting Judge. BCC proposes more direct reporting procedures.

…The report also names several incidents of prison healthcare staff “forcibly injecting inmates with anti-psychotic medication” in 2010 and subsequent years. BCC says the company is “unable to respond meaningfully” to the allegations because they do not have the documents or information, such as patient records and pharmacy profile reports, which DCS is using in the report. BCC says it has no reason to believe it was forcible and “evidence which suggests that this was not the case.”...

G4s says that “BCC acknowledged that while some operational improvements could be made, there was no evidence to substantiate any claims of mistreatment”. It describes the Mangaung prison as “an exceptionally well run maximum security prison” and says there is ongoing oversight and management by DCS staff. G4S reiterates that it did not impede the release of the investigative report but joined as an interested party to protect the confidentiality of people named...