Inhumane treatment of elderly prisoner - Political Party considers approaching Human Rights organisations
It is with utmost shock and contempt that Front National learned of the latest outrage perpetrated by the Department of Correctional Services against the elderly Clive Derby-Lewis (78), who is serving his 22nd year in jail for his part in the assassination of the General Secretary of the SA Communist Party, Chris Hani, on April 10 1993.
Mr Derby-Lewis is terminally ill, having been diagnosed with lung cancer, skin cancer, prostate cancer and suffering from gangrene and hypertension. Mr Derby-Lewis was attacked by fellow prisoners in February of this year during which he suffered a broken arm and was severely traumatised. Two weeks later a second, more serious attack, resulted in him being stabbed in the back with a sharpened piece of glass, perforating his cancerous lung. His condition deteriorated rapidly and he was removed to Eugene Marais Hospital.
It is now reported that mr Derby-Lewis, already terminally ill and traumatised, was diagnosed with a heart condition resulting in a painful swelling of the limbs. Despite this, he was cuffed in fetters last night without prior warning or reasonable explanation.
The fact that parole for the prisoner has been approved as early as 2008 and never effected, combined with the fact that protest actions were held on two occasions (12 April and 3 May) during which petitions were presented to Department of Correctional Services - to no avail, is of huge concern to Front National. The further lack of proper medical care by doctors of the Department of Correctional Services leads us to the conclusion that the continued incarceration of mr Derby-Lewis is an act of malicious revenge by the ANC government.
Front National will therefore conduct a third protest gathering outside the offices of the Department of Correctional services in Church Street, Pretoria at 12H00 on Friday 30 May 2014. In the event of the Department of Correctional Services still refusing to intervene in this matter, a formal charge of Human Rights Violations against the minister of Correctional Services will be reported to the South African Human Rights Commission and all other Human Rights organisations worldwide.
Mr Derby-Lewis is currently the world's oldest political prisoner.
Statement issued by Wessel Basson, Front Nasionaal, May 28 2014
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