AEGiS-SAPA: C-Max inmate wants to die at home South African Press AssociationImportant note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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C-Max inmate wants to die at home

South African Press Association - February 2, 2007

A C-Max prison inmate who is critically ill with HIV/Aids, but who refuses to use antiretroviral drugs because he believes the health minister's advice "to be true and that they have had dangerous side-effects", wants to die at home.

He brought an urgent Pretoria High Court application in which he asked that the department of correctional services be compelled to convene a medical parole board to reconsider his possible release on medical grounds, the Pretoria News reported on Friday.

The parties settled the matter on Thursday and the department agreed to convene the parole board. They also agreed that the man's doctor may treat him in jail. Judge Roger Claassen made the settlement an order of court.

The inmate was sentenced to 60 years' imprisonment on charges of robbery in June 2001, as well as to an additional 14 years on charges of escaping from custody.

The man stated that he was diagnosed as being HIV-positive in March last year. At that stage he walked with difficulty and had developed swelling under his arms and on his jaw.

"It is my opinion that my HIV status is turning into full-blown Aids and that my life expectancy is limited," he said.

Last year his attorney Julian Knight wrote to the department asking that a medical parole board consider his case. It was only after he threatened legal procedures that the department eventually commissioned the medical parole board.

The prisoner said he was taking vitamins, but his condition was getting worse by the day.

He said the Correctional Services Act made provision for prisoners to die with dignity at home and to be with their family.


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