The flood of contraband in South Africa’s correctional facilities has reached alarming levels, prompting the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services to demand immediate action from the Department of Correctional Services (DCS). During a recent briefing, the Department outlined its strategies for combating the rising problem and provided statistics on contraband confiscations, internal corruption, and the challenges it faces in curbing the issue.
According to the department, over 41 000 cell phones and more than R200,000 in proceeds from illicit drug sales have been confiscated from inmates to date. Additionally, 64 correctional services officials have been implicated in facilitating illegal acts. Of these officials, 16 were dismissed, 11 have been criminally charged, and their cases have been handed over to the South African Police Services (SAPS). Another 37 cases remain under investigation, while the rest could not be pursued due to insufficient evidence.
Highlighting the magnitude of the crisis, Portfolio Committee Chairperson Kgomotso Ramolobeng remarked that the number of illegal cell phones circulating in prisons outnumbers the inmate population.
“These alarming numbers could be related to the fact that visitors caught trafficking contraband are not arrested immediately. Instead, they are banned from visiting for a certain period, creating a cycle of repeat offenders,” she said.
Committee members raised concerns about the effectiveness of consequence management strategies to stem the influx of contraband.
Mzwanele Sokopo, committee member for the African National Congress (ANC), questioned why cell phone jammers are not being used to prevent inmates from running extortion rackets from inside prison walls.
National Commissioner of Correctional Services Makgothi Thabakgale explained that previous efforts to introduce signal jammers were blocked by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). According to ICASA, the department no longer has the authority to make such requests because it is not classified as part of the security cluster of government departments. Instead, requests must go through SAPS or the Department of Justice.
“We are now looking into that, but there is also an attempt to reclassify us as part of the security cluster,” Commissioner Thabakgale said.
Betty Diale, committee member for the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) inquired about what happens to confiscated cell phones. Commissioner Thabakgale clarified that the phones are handed over to SAPS, which has the expertise to analyse the devices and trace the criminal networks operating from within correctional facilities.
Responding an inquiry about lifestyle audits as an accountability tool, Commissioner Thabakgale confirmed that 38 000 lifestyle audits had been conducted. He emphasised that, under the Correctional Services Act, the heads of correctional centres have the authority to deal with corruption and illegal activity among staff, and those who fail to do so must be held accountable for any inaction.
Chairperson Ramolobeng further inquired about the proceeds from confiscated illicit drug sales and why officials caught with drugs are not arrested immediately.
Commissioner Thabakgale stated that the proceeds often become part of the Department of Justice’s resources for crime-fighting operations. However, he admitted that the amount confiscated represents only a fraction of the illicit activity occurring through e-commerce platforms in prisons, which remains largely unaccounted for.
“It can be difficult to prosecute officials for possession of drugs because they often claim the drugs are for personal use. For now, we find this aspect tricky,” Commissioner Thabakgale said.
Additionally, Chairperson Ramolobeng expressed concern that only 14 out of 243 correctional centers in South Africa are equipped with body scanners. She stressed that body scanners are critical for ensuring the safety of both officials and inmates and urged the department to reprioritise its budget to incrementally roll out more scanners, despite fiscal constraints.
The committee also recommended that the department focus its limited resources on facilities with the highest levels of criminal activity. While waiting for reclassification as part of the security cluster, Chairperson Ramolobeng suggested prioritising these high-crime facilities for the installation of cellphone jammers.
“The department has to reprioritise its strategies in this regard and move from being reactive to proactive when dealing with systemic problems,” she advised.
The rising tide of contraband and corruption in South Africa’s correctional facilities demands urgent action and systemic reform. The committee’s pointed questions and suggestions reflect the dire need for stricter consequence management, targeted use of technology, and a re-evaluation of the department’s security classification.
