A man accused of abducting two friends and taking them to a forest where he raped them claims he is a sex slave in prison.

Sipho Shandu, 37, told the Durban High Court yesterday during his trial that he had also been instructed by Westville Prison warders to pay a monthly R300 bribe in order to get a proper meal. Shandu told Judge Busisiwe Masipa that he had been his cellmates' sex slave since his arrival in jail in 2012.

"I sometimes receive one meal a day while others get three meals. I am also beaten up by cellmates if I refuse to sleep with them. I have no other choice but to ask my wife to bring R300 and cigarettes [for bribe] every month," he said.

Shandu said he had not reported the matter because he feared that things would get worse. Masipa instructed Shandu to report the matter to prison authorities in order to find help and peace.

Shandu is accused of pouncing on the two friends at around 7pm on May 26 2012 in Eshowe, north of KwaZulu-Natal. The women were bathing when Shandu allegedly pounced on them.

However, Shandu, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape and robbery with aggravating circumstances, said the women were his girlfriends who voluntarily agreed to have sex with him.

The state says he ordered the women to come out of the house at knife point and took them to nearby bushes where he raped them.

He allegedly later dragged them further into the bush where he raped them for the second time.

Shandu also allegedly raped another woman at Albert Luthuli Park in Durban in June 5 2012. He allegedly also robbed her of two cellphones and groceries.

State prosecutor Zandile Mshololo dismissed the defence's application that Shandu should be sent to a mental institution again for observation.

"The accused had been concentrating since the beginning of the trial and he is ready to proceed. The previous reports declared that the accused was fit to continue with the case," Mshololo said.

The trial continues today.