Correctional Services revises COVID-19 safety measures
The continued rise in the number of coronavirus infections within the country's prisons has prompted officials to adopt revised safety measures.
There currently just under 1 200 inmates nationally who have contracted the virus. The number of prison officials who've tested positive is 737.
Last month, Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola announced the early release on parole of some 19 000 eligible inmates to reduce overcrowding amid the pandemic.
The department's Singabakho Nxumalo says the new measures now mean all inmates must be screened and quarantined for 14 days before joining the general prison population.
READ: Lamola: Govt grappling with COVID-19 hotspots
"Visits remain suspended in order to buffer any possible transmission of the virus. We have also looked at means of transporting inmates to courts, and we are utilising the audiovisual system where we can or where the courts are linked for our correctional facilities.
"KwaZulu-Natal only has eleven cases of officials, and only two inmates have been infected. In the whole province, you only have those thirteen cases."
