in hunger strike
28 March 2006
One hundred and nineteen HIV positive offenders at Durban Westville
Correctional Centres have called of their un-procedural hunger strike this
afternoon (28 March 2006) after the intervention of Correctional Services
leadership.
The leadership of Correctional Service was seriously concerned about the
action taken by the offenders that started yesterday, and intervened to have
short-term concerns raised by the protesters addressed, while instituting
mechanism for solving long term challenges facing the implementation of the
department's comprehensive HIV & AIDS treatment and care plan.
The Department of Correctional Services has established a high level team
under the leadership of the Chief Deputy Commissioner for Development and Care,
Jabu Sishuba, to help resolve issues that may have led to the nonprocedural
hunger strike of the offenders.
The Department began with various interventions, which include the provision
of nutritious food supplements, negotiations with departments of Health and
Homes Affairs for short and long term solutions to the challenges experienced,
as well as negotiations to reassure offenders of the attention and intervention
of Correctional Services leadership. Correctional Services has reached in
principle understanding with both Home Affairs and Health regarding urgent
provisional interventions to address the current situation at Durban Westville,
while also intensifying efforts aimed at finding medium to long term solutions
to challenges facing the implementation of the comprehensive treatment and care
plan.
Correctional Services wishes to express its dismay at the use of vulnerable
offenders as cannon fodder by various advocacy institutions in a manner that
threatens their wellbeing.
It is absolutely critical to reiterate the fact that in terms of government
policy, Correctional Services' centres are not accredited antiretroviral (ARV)
sites and therefore do not administer these drugs. The Department only provides
transportation and security for qualifying offenders to adjacent accredited
sites of the Department of Health to access ARVs.
Enquiries:
Manelisi Wolela
Cell: 083 626 0304
Issued: Department of Correctional Service
28 March 2006
