According to the handbook issued to prisoners these are among the regulations which apply in South African prisons:
14. Labour Every sentenced prisoner is required to work a maximum of ten hours a day unless the Medical Officer certifies that he is incapable.
17. Legal Representatives A prisoner who is a party to, or a witness in, a civil or criminal case or action, shall be afforded the opportunity to consult his legal representative in respect of such case or action. The same also applies to a prisoner charged with a disciplinary offence.
18. Correspondence The various categories of prisoners write and receive letters as follows:- i) unsentenced prisoners: one letter per day. ii) prisoners serving sentences under 2 years: one letter per month iii) unclassified prisoners with sentences over 2 years: one letter per month. iv) 'C' and 'D' Group prisoners: one letter per month v) 'B' Group prisoners: two letters per month vi) 'A' Group prisoners: three letters per month All letters must not exceed 500 words in length and must be written in a language understood by the prison staff members who censor correspondence.
19. Visits a) visits take place in prescribed visiting rooms in the presence and hearing of a member of the prison service who is conversant with the language used. b) children between the ages of one year and 16 years are only allowed to accompany visitors under exceptional circumstances. c) one letter may be written and one letter may be received in lieu of a visit. d) in exceptional circumstances, the Commanding Office may authorise a special visit. e) The various categories of prisoners may receive visits as follows:- i) unsentenced prisoners: 2 visits each not exceeding 30 minutes by 2 persons simultaneously per week. ii) prisoners with sentences under 2 years: one visit by one person per month. iii) unclassified prisoners: one visit by one person per month. iv) 'C' and 'D' Group prisoners: one visit by one person per month. v) 'B' Group prisoners: one visit by 2 persons simultaneously per month. vi) 'A' Group prisoners: 2 visits by 2 persons simultaneously per month.
44. Studies a) Dependent upon a prisoner's term of imprisonment and personal aptitude, he may be allowed to follow an approved course of studies in his spare time. b) The Commissioner can prescribe compulsory studies and the conditions under which such studies should be conducted.
31. Library and Reading Matter a) where possible, a library containing books of an educational and instructional nature is made available and maintained at every prison. b) in terms of prescribed conditions and regulations a prisoner may receive books and magazines from outside sources, viz. approved books, magazines and newspapers direct from a bookseller or publisher. It is under the last two of these regulations that political prisoners are deprived of study and reading privileges (see FOCUS 18 p.12, 19 p.5 and below).
