Drugs, cash, cellphones among contraband found in SA prisons

The DA has expressed concern about the alarming scale of contraband items discovered in South African prisons.

In a parliamentary question and answer session, correctional services minister Pieter Groenewald said just less than 934kg of drugs were confiscated in correctional centres in the past 12 months.

More than 41,000 cellphones, 11,000 weapons, more than 250l of alcohol and R200,000 in cash were also confiscated, while officials' uniforms were found in some centres.

“This new information demonstrates the porousness of our correctional facilities which are meant to be secure for inmates and the public. As things stand, our prisons are a hub for illegal activity as opposed to rehabilitation,” DA MP Kabelo Kgobisa-Ngcaba said.

“The department is failing to contain the situation and to implement effective consequence management. The quantity of contraband confiscated suggests [many] officials are involved.”

He criticised the department for its “failure” to address basic elements of a secure facility, such as proper perimeter fencing. “Without it, no effort to create contraband-free facilities will succeed.”

Kgobisa-Ngcaba said he wrote to Groenewald last month urging immediate action to secure prisons from the distribution of contraband but has not received a response.

“It is unclear, then, whether any action is under way to address this crisis in our correctional system.”

He urged Groenewald to bring the matter to parliament for intervention.

“Given the scale of the problem, Groenewald must bring this matter to cabinet and solicit assistance in addressing the dangerous volumes of contraband in our prisons and the need to stem criminal activity in and emanating from prisons. It is clear the department of correctional services cannot do it alone.”

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