Prisoners at the New Prison in Pietermaritzburg (South Africa) fear for their lives after four prisoners allegedly tested positive for COVID-19 more than two weeks ago. They say basic regulations to combat the spread of the coronavirus are being flouted - for instance, no social distancing because of overcrowding, poor-quality masks, a lack of sanitisers and lack of testing and tracing in the facility. The Department of Correctional Services has refuted the claims made by the inmates. It registered 1 938 confirmed COVID-19 cases and at least 16 fatalities, as of 22 June.  

The government had decided to release about 19 000 prisoners on early parole to relieve the overcrowding in prisons but inmates criticise that the decision focus on persons convicted for petty crimes who don’t follow rehabilitation process and risk being rearrested for committing crimes again. Inmates also complain about the ban on visits. 

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