Cape Town – An accused woman appearing in the Wynberg Magistrates Court has told the court that she is not receiving necessary medical treatment while held at Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison in Cape Town.
The complaint was made during proceedings in a high‑profile case linked to a deadly courthouse shooting last year.
According to the court record, Shireen Matthews, one of five suspects charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Vrygrond taxi operator Dingalomoya Chintso in April 2025, has been diagnosed with a tumour but has allegedly not received adequate medical attention since her arrest.
Her lawyer told the magistrate that despite her serious medical condition, “she has not received medical care at Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison”, EWN reported.
Matthews appeared in court on Wednesday alongside co‑accused Abubaker Adams, Brian Booysen, Wanay Farao and Vuyisani Zengethwa.
As stated by her counsel, the denial of treatment is affecting her health, a matter that the magistrate acknowledged but said fell outside the court’s direct authority. However, she confirmed she would write to prison officials to request urgent attention to Matthews’ medical condition.
The development adds to long‑standing concerns around healthcare provision within Pollsmoor Prison, where previous reports and judicial findings have highlighted systemic challenges.
In earlier assessments of the facility, medical professionals noted significant delays in providing medication and shortages of necessary supplies, with one report finding that basic consumables such as bandages and gloves were often unavailable and waits for treatment could extend beyond several days.
One clinician observed there was “a great need for additional pharmacy staff” and that the existing setup was inadequate to meet demand.
Human rights advocates and prison rights observers have repeatedly pointed to overcrowding, limited staffing and resource constraints as ongoing issues in South African prisons broadly, including Pollsmoor, which has previously faced scrutiny for poor conditions and lack of access to timely healthcare — factors that critics say undermine inmates’ constitutional right to adequate medical treatment.
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
