By Norm Dixon
JOHANNESBURG — Prisons throughout South Africa were convulsed by protests which began on June 9. The South African Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights (SAPOHR) called on inmates to begin peaceful mass action after the new government refused to consider a general amnesty for non-violent first offenders, and the minister for correctional services, the Inkatha Freedom Party's Dr Sipho Mzimela, refused to meet with SAPOHR to discuss the issue.
Following several days of unrest, the government agreed to a six-month remission in the sentences of most prisoners.
Golden Miles Bhudu, SAPOHR's chief executive, told Green Left Weekly that the decision to launch mass action was forced on the organisation by SAPOHR's rank and file in the prisons. Prisoners throughout the country had taken note of the promise made by President Nelson Mandela in his inauguration speech on May 10, "as a matter of urgency, [to] address the issue of amnesty for various categories of our people who are currently serving terms of imprisonment".
On June 2, SAPOHR gave the government a deadline of seven days to announce an amnesty for inmates serving sentences for non-violent crimes. Bhudu said that prisoners were "appalled" that justice minister Dullah Omar was that same day meeting with Conservative Party leader Ferdi Hartzenberg to discuss the question of indemnity "for men who allegedly planted bombs to drown our elections in blood", while ignoring ordinary prisoners.
"It is difficult for all of us to understand why the government of national unity appears far more assertive in their objective to be seen to be reconciliatory with members of the far right wing, and is so anxious to forgive the atrocities of the past whilst forgetting those behind bars who also deserve forgiveness and a chance for a new and better life.
"It is bizarre that whilst Colonel 'X' may well be forgiven for his role in the elimination and disappearance of scores of South Africans, someone who, as a result of hunger and desperation, may have stolen Colonel 'X's' car radio may still be behind bars ... The same opportunity for a better life that the president has magnanimously afforded to politically motivated criminals, must be afforded to all our people behind bars who are victims of a culture of intolerance, poverty, hunger, violence and deprivation."
Bhudu added that following liberation in African countries it is was not uncommon for prisoners, in jail for relatively minor offences, to be released. "The majority of people in prison are not violent criminals. They are people who have been forced one way or another to steal to try to survive." He added that 175,000 people are sent to jail each year without legal representation. People awaiting trial often remain in jail for up to two years without the option of bail.
Bhudu denied it was too soon for SAPOHR to begin making demands on the government. "Our members have been patient enough. The government has already wasted time to go and hold meetings with the right-wingers ... The government has had enough time to act on this issue. In Malawi they had elections after South Africa and they have dealt with the issue of prisoners ... We are saying that if this amnesty doesn't come sooner rather than later, prisoners will definitely take this issue into their own hands."
Inmates killed
Bhudu's prediction came true on June 9. Prisoners at Modderbee Prison east of Johannesburg took over several sections of the jail, and took a warder hostage. Two inmates were shot dead by warders, 87 prisoners escaped and extensive damage was caused after fires were lit. The protests spread throughout the country, with at least 10 prisons reporting demonstrations.
PWV Premier Tokyo Sexwale visited the prison in the early hours of June 10 and addressed the inmates. The captive warder was handed over to the premier. Newspapers the following day reported that Sexwale, "shrugging off all warnings by prison authorities that it was dangerous to enter the prison, negotiated alone with armed and desperate inmates, and succeeded in securing the release of a hostage".
However, Green Left Weekly learned from a source who accompanied Sexwale into the prison that, in fact, it was Golden Miles Bhudu who convinced the prisoners to release the hostage. Tough talking by Bhudu also dissuaded some hotheads from taking Sexwale hostage.
In a bid to halt the unrest, an urgent meeting was held in Pretoria on June 10 between President Mandela, deputy president F.W. de Klerk, correctional services minister Sipho Mzimela, Golden Miles Bhudu and PWV safety and security minister Jessie Duarte. It was decided that a six-month remission would be granted to most prisoners. Mandela ordered Mzimela to deliver news of the decision to the prisoners at Modderbee. Bhudu called on prisoners to end their mass action.
Remission
Golden Miles Bhudu told Green Left on June 11 that he was not happy with the remission. "The six months that has been agreed upon by the state officials comes from the state. We are not a party to it." The proposal, which came from de Klerk, who dominated the meeting, was endorsed by Mandela and Mzimela, Bhudu said.
"Mandela deferred to [de Klerk]", Bhudu said. "It was not Mandela's own decision as the president of this country. I find that very worrying. From my own observation, de Klerk is still the man who is running the country. I hope I'm wrong." Bhudu said that SAPOHR considered itself part of the liberation movement and was committed to seeing the new government's Reconstruction and Development Program implemented.
Bhudu said that SAPOHR suspended the mass action campaign to prevent further loss of life and damage to prisons. A key demand, to meet with the president, had been met. He said that SAPOHR will continue to campaign for an amnesty.
Sporadic outbreaks of protest continued throughout South Africa's prisons for several days after the settlement. The big business press here has attempted to demonise Bhudu and SAPOHR, blaming them for the loss of life, injuries and damage. He has been crudely painted as a champion of "murderers, rapists and child molesters".
Dr Sipho Mzimela described Bhudu's role as "disturbing" and refuses to recognise SAPOHR as a legitimate organisation representing prisoners, or allow it easy access to its members behind bars.
"The reason why SAPOHR called for a national peaceful and disciplined mass action", Bhudu told Green Left Weekly, "was because the door to meet the minister of correctional services was shut in our face". He placed the blame for the violence squarely at the feet of South Africa's archaic prison system.
"The violence that erupted is the result of the treatment of the prisoners ... They get victimised, they get assaulted, they get killed, their complaints are not listened to, they are not taken seriously. There is deep frustration. If prisoners complaints were addressed, if they were taken seriously by prison authorities in the name of rehabilitation and re-education, I don't think prisoners would explode like they have done."