South African prison gangs are using HIV infection as punishment, ordering infected members to rape disobedient inmates in a ritual known as "slow puncture," officials said Thursday. A spokesperson for the Judicial Inspectorate of Prisons confirmed that the new practice first came to light about six months ago and was believed to be spreading. JIP Director Gideon Morris told the Jail Commission Wednesday that the rape would be carried out by one person, or sometimes several. "They give him a 'slow puncture,' meaning he will die over a period of time," Morris said.

The Jail Commission was set up last year to look into allegations of corruption and mismanagement in South Africa's prison network. Department of Corrections spokesperson Russel Mamabolo said department officials could not comment and would await the commission's findings before mounting their own investigation. "This information is still allegations at this stage," Mamabolo said.

The opposition Democratic Alliance issued a statement Thursday calling on the government to provide all prisoners with antiretroviral drugs to treat HIV infections -- in part to reduce health costs. "At the very least, prisoners who are raped should have access to antiretroviral treatment to prevent them from getting infected with [HIV]," and developing AIDS, said Mike Ellis, the party's spokesperson for correctional services.

Morris said it was difficult to say whether AIDS was now the chief cause of deaths in South African prisons, noting that many prisoners who died of AIDS are listed as dying of natural causes. He noted, however, that natural deaths had increased sharply during seven years, jumping from 186 in 1995 to 1,169 last year. South Africa has about 179,000 prisoners, making it second only to the United States in the number of inmates per capita.

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