Hygiene and hunger a concern at Henties Bay

Sharlien Tjambari

Trial awaiting prisoners kept in the Henties Bay police holding cells say they are being kept in dismal conditions. They claim toilets are out of order and so are the showers. They are highly concerned about hygiene, specifically given the current Covid-19 pandemic.

A relative of a prisoner in his late 50’s approached the Namib Times to highlight the dire situation these people have to endure behind bars.  “I was informed of the conditions in which the prisoners are kept. Apart from the unhygienic conditions caused by broken toilets and showers, mosquitoes and flees are also a cause of great concern. People are suffering bites and they are afraid they could contract some medical condition as a result.
Some of the prisoners’ relatives and friends bring them food, but that is eventually dished out to everyone, because often there is not enough food, claims the relative referred to above.
“I feel it is not fair and nobody should be allowed to live under such conditions”, said the man.
Namib Times contacted a man who spent some time in the holding cells at Henties Bay. “The toilet pots are really broken. Broken like shattered”, the man explained. No visitors are allowed. We feel this is a way to hide the true situation in the holding cells”, he said. He asked for anonymity.