The Department of Justice and Correctional Services says its correctional centre in Wolmaranstad in the North West has been partially closed. This is after one of the prison warders at the facility tested positive for COVID-19.
Several inmates have been transferred to nearby correctional centres, while 31 of them have been quarantined.
Spokesperson for the Department of Justice and Correctional Services, Singabakho Nxumalo, says the facility is expected to be decontaminated soon.
“North West only has one case in our correctional facilities. We have prevention measures in place. All our centres have prevention and isolation sides. They are equipped with appropriate necessities. We have also employed additional professional nurses, and a panel of medical experts.”
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) in the North West has appealed to the department to ensure that the necessary health protocols are put in place to curb the spreading of the virus.
“Our plea to the employer is to say, now that we’ve got a case and this is the first case in the North West, as correctional services, they must ensure that the prison is decontaminated in terms of the protocols and ensure that in future the issue of social distancing is also addressed. So that we are able also to make sure that you don’t get members who will be infected in terms of numbers,” says Popcru Provincial Secretary, Ouma Mokokong.
