Employees at the Kutama Sinthumule Correctional Centre claim they have no personal protective equipment against COVID-19. The correctional facility, based in Louis Trichardt in Limpopo, has about 600 employees and more than 3,000 inmates.
Some workers, who wished to remain anonymous, told eNCA their management informed them there was no money for masks and gloves.
They say they’re concerned about their own safety and that of the inmates.
“Only people who are working at the access lobby were made to sign for the masks. But this is not applying in the prison itself inside where there are workers, where they are now in operation,” said Lawrence Makatu from the Union for Police, Security and Corrections Organisation.
Some employees described to eNCA the conditions they are working under.
“I was wearing a mask inside the premises protecting myself and others from this COVID-19 virus,” said one employee. “My manager asked me to take off the mask. I asked why he said the prisoners are starting to panic.”
The Correctional Services Department has raised concerns about the fact that there are no masks or gloves at this facility and it says it will be investigating the matter.
“As a department, we are obligated to investigate when these allegations are brought to the fore just to check if it is true,” said Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo.
“Even with this one, we will investigate but I can tell you now it can never be true because if there was a shortage, it would’ve been reported by now.”
In the meantime, the workers at the Kutama Sinthumule Correctional Centre say they aren’t safe and continue to work without personal protective equipment.
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Source: eNCA
