The Department of Correctional Service has denied that the death of a female inmate was at the hands of prison wardens.
Ayanda Jandisa Mkhize was a prisoner at the Johannesburg Female Correctional Centre. She died weeks after she was allegedly tortured into revealing how a cellphone was smuggled into the facility.
A random raid at the prison turned up contraband items, among them a cellphone allegedly in Mkhize’s possession.
According to her family, she was allegedly tortured to reveal where the cellphone came from.
The South African Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights (Sapohr) claimed that Mkhize was further isolated from the rest of her cellmates following the search.
“She was taken to an isolated spot and shocked with electric wires as a form of torture to confess where, and how, and who smuggled the cellphone for her into the prison,” Sapohr’s Golden Mile Bhudu said.
He said that following her ordeal, Mkhize fell ill and was rushed to the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, however, she was not admitted, and a few days later was rushed to the same hospital where she died.
“We were told that fellow inmates informed her family and her aunt went to the hospital where they were told of Mkhize’s passing,” Bhudu said.
He demanded for justice to be served.
The Modiehi Mongale Foundation, a non-profit organization that addresses socio-economic issues affecting prisoners, parolees, ex-offenders, and families of the incarcerated, is calling for justice to be served.
The organization’s Lerato Manaka said prison officials have a duty to protect inmates, not subject them to cruel punishment.
“Ms Mkhize deserved to serve her sentence with dignity. Her family deserves answers. We call for a full, transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death,” she said.
Manaka added that incidents like this severely damage reforming efforts.
Responding to the publication’s request for comment, DCS spokesperson Singabankho Nxumalo said the allegations were a lie.
“She was not feeling well and was transferred to an outside hospital where she sadly passed on,” Nxumalo said.
“The family can be provided with her medical report and cause of death. The allegations raised are definitely a lie.”
-IOL
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