A transgender prisoner serving a life sentence at Johannesburg’s Sun City Prison will turn to the Equality Court in a bid to receive gender-affirming care, in the form of hormone replacement therapy, reports The Star.

The prisoner, identified as NM, said in an affidavit she was assigned the male gender at birth and although her identity document still reflects her birth name, she asked the court to hear her application under her chosen female name.

She is asking the court to declare that prison authorities are unfairly discriminating against her in not allowing her to wear female clothes and to use cosmetics.

NM wants to be addressed as a female. She wants assistance from the Department of Correctional Services to change her gender and she wants to be accommodated in a single cell or a cell with inmates of the same gender identity.

She is held in a section for persons with special needs.

NM claims officials and prisoners have harassed and discriminated against her. NM said before her arrest, she wanted to take steps to affirm her gender identity as a woman and medical experts have concluded that she needs to transition and should have access to hormone replacement therapy. 

She says authorities are discriminating against her for refusing to allow her to express her identity, which is unconstitutional.

Respondents, including the department and prison head deny the allegations.

They argue that they cannot house her in a single cell because of space constraints.

The department said it treats prisoners with dignity since a September 2019 judgment dealing with similar issues.

The Equality Court hearing will take place from 8-12 September 2025.

Full report in The Star