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The South African Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights (SAPOHR), welcome and is thankful that the President in his speech of the 15 August 2020, dropped the COVID-19 Risk Strategy from three (3) to Two (2), also meant the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), must prepare that non-contact visit of both Un/Sentenced Prisoners must be arranged for the purpose, says Golden Miles Bhudu, SAPOHR’s spokesperson

The DCS in its preparation to this end, decided to for starters allowing:

Closest family relatives of inmates, i.e. spouse, children, siblings, legal guardian, parents;

(b) Legal representatives of inmates; and

(c) Visits by embassies.

SAPOHR is also made to understand that much needed visits are indeed limited to one non-contact visit per inmate per calendar month irrespective of the privilege group. i.e 1st of the month until the last day of the month.)

SAPOHR furthermore is in agreement with the DCS that the Head Correctional Centre must identify an official/s for administering the booking of visits. A booking register must be introduced at all correctional centers, consisting of the following headings/columns:

Date of the booking, Name & Surname of the Visitor, ID number of Visitor,

Name of Inmate to be visited, Relationship between an inmate and the visitor, Registration number of Inmate to be visited, Date of Visit, Time of Visit and Surname of official who made the booking, Initial and surname of the official capturing the information, Checked by (initial, surname and signature)

Heads of Centers must and provide inmates with the telephone number/s to be utilized for pre-booking of visits.

Bookings must be pre-arranged at least 48-hours prior to the intended visit to ensure proper planning. No visits should be allowed without prior appointment.

Head of Correctional Centers must ensure that a name-list of all booked visits be made available to access control and visitors reporting area before visits commence.

Only visitors as per approved name-list must be allowed access.

Visitors must be informed to arrive 30 minutes before the commencement of the visit as per time scheduled.

Visits to take place between 09H00 and 15H00 on visit days. Remand Detainees must receive visits during weekdays (Monday to Friday, excluding Public Holidays) and Sentenced Offenders over weekends and Public Holidays).

The duration of visits should not exceed 30-minutes per visit. However, Heads of Correctional Centers may determine the duration for visits taking into consideration the number of non-contact visiting booths versus the lockup of the center and number of bookings.

Visitors to be identified by means of an RSA ID Book, RSA  license, Passport, Birth certificate (Only for Children).

Inmates are permitted to procure amenities within centers. Cash payments/deposits for inmates from external sources are allowed through authorized electronic means.

Visitors are not allowed to bring any item/article, including toiletries into the correctional centre. Visitors will be allowed to purchase approved items at the Correctional Centre Kiosk. Such articles must be subjected to searching by correctional officials before handing over to an inmate.

The quantity of items to be purchased at the Kiosk is regulated according to the privilege group/category of the inmate. Area Commissioners and Heads of Correctional Centers must ensure kiosks are adequately stocked to avoid shortage of items and prevent inmates from running “spaza shops” inside correctional Centres/cells. Head of Correctional Centres must guard against inmates buying huge quantity of cigarettes/tobacco whilst other inmates are denied an opportunity to have access to the commodity.

Such practice will promote gang activities and may contribute to violence in correctional centres. These items and quantities

should be displayed on Unit Notice boards, visiting areas and Kiosks.

Visits by essential and permitted service providers as provided for in the Regulations are allowed. Non-contact consultation visits between legal practitioners and inmates are permitted under strict conditions determined by the National Commissioner/HCC’, whilst observing COVID -19 Health Protocols and the departmental SOP. HCC’s must ensure that legal practitioners provide permits, proof of identity and pre-arranged appointment.

All legal visits are non-contact visits.

Legal representatives should indicate the time needed for the legal visit and bookings be made accordingly.

Alternatively, legal representatives and inmates may, in urgent matters, communicate telephonically after approval of the Head of Centre, where circumstances and resources permit.

REMAND OFFENDERS

Heads of Centers must designate areas within their facilities to be used by inmates for legal visits. In the event of affidavits to be signed by inmates, the Head of Centre may facilitate this through email or fax. Such affidavits may be commissioned by an authorized Correctional Official, scanned and emailed back to the Legal Representatives.

COVID-19 screening of each visitor and legal representative before entering the center, according to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) must be complied with at all times.

The following COVID 19 protocols must be adhered to:

All visitors entering a correctional center must be searched. Responsible correctional officials who conducting searching must wear masks and surgical gloves. Gloves to be sanitized between searching. All visitor’s must be screened before entering a correctional centre;

 All visitors to wear masks when entering correctional premises/center;

All visit booths must be sanitized after each visit;

Social distancing must be maintained at visitors waiting room;

All inmates to wear masks during visits; and

Hands of inmates be sanitized before and after visits.

 All the above arrangements will be applicable with effect from 01 September 2020.

The Guidelines are subject to change in line with further amendments to the Regulations on COVID- 19.

Having said that thought the SAPOHR is concerned and wonders how the DCS will before the 01 Septembers 2020, communicate this very breath taking announcement and the stringent conditions to particularly the Prisoners Families and Friends, and secondary

SAPOHR hopes the DCS will lobby the MASS MEDIA, e. g. Adverts in the News Media, Press Releases, Press Conference, Social Media and by the Word of the Mouth.

We almost there!!!

Issued by The South African Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights