South Africa to improve conditions at Lindela Detention Centre

By Tichaona Sibanda

31 October 2005

Two Zimbabweans who died in July at the infamous Lindela holding camp in South Africa could have been saved if the centre had enough medical capacity.
Home Affairs Nosiviwe Mapisa-Ngakula disclosed this at the release of a report of the findigs of an inquiry at lindela. Two Zimbabweans, Alice Tshuma, 18, and Mcabangeleni Mlambo, 22, died at Lindela in July in circumstances that could have been prevented.
Rodgers Mudarikwa, national co-ordinator for the Zimbabwe Action Support Group said although the South African government carried out an inquest over the deaths, they had initially requested an Independent inquiry headed by the UN to look into the Lindela deaths.
Mudarikwa said Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nquakala, the Home Affairs minister, had given the commission a month to complete the work and provide its findings and recommendations concerning four deaths at the centre between.
The minister presented the findings at a follow-up meeting with Zimbabwean activists in that country. She has scheduled another meeting with the activists at the end of November.