/ 15 March 2014

Court orders Derby-Lewis hospital transfer, says report

Clive Derby-Lewis is serving a life sentence for killing former SACP leader Chris Hani.
Clive Derby-Lewis is serving a life sentence for killing former SACP leader Chris Hani.

The High Court in Pretoria has ordered that convicted killer Clive Derby-Lewis be transported to hospital for medical attention after he was stabbed in prison, the Saturday Star reported.

"Eventually, the court ordered that my client be transported to hospital and that the DCS [the department of correctional services] cover all the costs thereof," Marius Coetze, the attorney for Derby-Lewis, was quoted as saying.

Coetze approached the court to force the Department of Correctional Services to allow his client to be moved for medical care after an inmate stabbed him and broke his arm two weeks ago in prison.

Coetze told the newspaper the order was granted and served to the department on Thursday to give them a day's notice to transport Derby-Lewis to the Eugene Marais Hospital in Pretoria on Friday.

Coetze said this did not happen on Friday.

"…We knew nothing about this. The DCS did not take him to hospital because of their internal policy, which requires a R450 transfer fee to be paid by the inmate."

Coetze said eventually the court ordered the transfer to hospital.

Derby-Lewis was convicted of killing former SA Communist Party leader Chris Hani. –Sapa