Convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik is entitled to medical care, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) said. “It’s not a new thing that patients have been referred to public and private institutions to receive medical help,” the union said in a statement.

Popcru said its understanding was that the department was called on to provide medical assistance within the provisions of the policy and it was not clear whether prison rules had been violated.

“The recent hype on the allegations of preferential treatment of Schabir Shaik by the department of correctional services is unfounded,” said the union.

The union added that while it would not condone favouritism in prisons, if there was a violation of prison regulations it should be raised.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and Sunday Sun.