The Department of Correctional Services says it has not received any report about the alleged assault on Dr Nandipha Magudumana at the Bizzah Makhathe Correctional Centre in Kroonstad over the weekend.
The department says it has also not received reports from Magudumana regarding her treatment at the facility.
Her lawyers have reported that Magudumana has consistently reported to authorities about threats to her safety.
Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo says all inmates should be protected and should at no point feel that their lives are in danger.
“As correctional services, we have not received any report indicating such. But that does not mean that such an incident has not happened or has happened. Hence we have contacted the facility Bizzah Makhathe to [confirm] if they have any incident of this nature, if yes when did it happen; how did it happen [and] who was involved.”
“So at this stage, it is really difficult for us because we’ve got nothing at our disposal. Up until such time that we receive a report that yes something did happen or there is nothing of that nature.”
Earlier, Dr Magudumana’s lawyer said the conditions she is subjected to put her human rights into question.
Machini Motloung was commenting amid claims that Magudumana had been assaulted for a second time since her arrest in April last year.
He says the first was when officials from the prison forcefully hurled her to the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court for one of her appearances and in the process assaulted her.
Dr Magudumana has been in custody since her arrest for allegedly assisting murderer and rapist Thabo Bester to escape from Mangaung Prison.
Motloung provides details of the alleged assault. “I also received a call from my client, the call was quite brief. There was an assault which is confirmed. The source could have been issues that also have to do with her praying in the cell and singing with other inmates.”
“There have been tensions brewing between her and an inmate who is a sangoma who allegedly is the one who fueled this assault to take place. What is concerning is that the assault was executed by a mentally challenged inmate.”
Alleged prison assault on Dr Nandipha Magudumana:
