Thirty five offenders have sustained injuries after eight warders were attacked at Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison on Tuesday morning. The incident occurred after the warders conducted a search for a cell phone in the E-Section at the facility’s Medium A Correctional Centre. Offenders proceeded to throw boiling water at the[…]
By Melanie Sauer The inmates of the Pollsmoor Correctional Centre have seen a turnaround of the previously “unlawful” living conditions, in just a matter of months. But upon VOC News inspection of the prison yesterday, it is clear the Department of Justice and Correctional Services has a long way to[…]
Government and the head of Pollsmoor’s remand facility are being taken to court on Monday in an attempt to compel to them to address the “appalling” conditions at the centre. Sonke Gender Justice, represented by Lawyers for Human Rights in the Western Cape High Court, believes detainees are “routinely, and[…]
While Muslim families throughout the world observe the joyous month of Ramadan and excitedly await the day of Eid, for thousands of prison inmates this period is a stark reminder of life on the outside. VOC News recently visited Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison to hear the stories of Muslim inmates who[…]
The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) on Saturday said they were “severely disturbed” by conditions at Pollsmoor Prison. The union called on the Department of Correctional Services to intervene and “speedily comply and ensure basic standards as articulated by the Bill of Rights”. In a statement, Popcru said[…]
Constitutional Court judge Edwin Cameron and his law clerks have published a scathing report of Pollsmoor Prison after visiting the remand centre – where awaiting trial prisoners are kept – and the women’s centre on April 23. Some of their findings are consistent with those reported by GroundUp in May.[…]
Upon stepping into Pollsmoor prison one is greeted by a thick stench, penetrating through the cold corridors. Pollsmoor prison inmates and staff were at the end of piercing stares from journalist as local media joined Minister of the Department of Correctional Services, Advocate Michael Masutha on his operational visit to[…]
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