The discovery of contraband during prison raids is occurring with worrying regularity. Whether a raid is conducted at Pollsmoor prison in the Western Cape, or Westville in KwaZulu-Natal, or Sun City in Gauteng, cellphones and weapons will be found.
This is something that can no longer be ignored, as it clearly points to a laxity in security on the part of the department of correctional services. Some of this contraband could be coming in as a result of corrupt elements within DCS. Instances of staff members turning a blind eye or actively participating in smuggling operations must be addressed.
This pattern not only jeopardises the safety of staff and inmates alike, but it also undermines the very purpose of our correctional facilities, which is rehabilitation and not to harden offenders.
On Wednesday a search of cells at the Barberton Correctional Centre in Mpumalanga led to the seizure of a range of prohibited items, including saw blades and a homemade weapon. Cellphones and dagga were the most common items confiscated from inmates at the Medium B prison as part of efforts to eliminate contraband from correctional centres.
Cellphones, in particular, pose a significant threat. They empower inmates to maintain ties with the outside world, enabling them to orchestrate criminal enterprises even while incarcerated. This ability to communicate beyond prison walls can facilitate the continuation of illicit activities, undermining any attempts at reform.
Additionally, the presence of weapons within the prison ecosystem introduces the risk of violence, not only among inmates, but also against prison warders who are tasked with maintaining order in an increasingly volatile environment. In June an inmate at Pollsmoor prison stabbed a prison warder.
We urgently need reforms to address the issue of contraband.
DCS conducts regular raids, and in recent months these raids have become increasingly frequent. But what happens after finding contraband in prisons? Is there any consequence management? Is anything being done to get to the bottom of how the contraband ends up inside our prisons?
The minister of correctional services, Pieter Groenewald, earlier this year admitted that the illegal use of cellphones by inmates in prison was a challenge. He said signal blocking is not an easy thing to implement, as it will affect communities living close to prisons, meaning the signal in their homes will also be affected.
New sophisticated technology that can be used to limit a signal within the confines of prisons exists. But the technology is expensive, meaning it cannot be used at every prison.
The minister said the department was in the process of running a pilot project at some priority prisons. That pilot project must be implemented as soon as possible, because inmates continue to operate their enterprises. The Thabo Bester saga is a classic example of what happens when prisoners have access to cellphones.
In 2022 the Hawks cracked an elaborate extortion scam run from Odi and Baviaanspoort Correctional Centres in Mabopane and Pretoria. Four convicted inmates were arrested on an array of charges, which included extortion, impersonating a police officer, money laundering, forgery and uttering.
An aggressive stance against corruption is essential for restoring the integrity of the prison system. Officials found guilty of enabling the entry of contraband must face consequences that would deter others
The prisoners were posing as police officers and allegedly extorted money from several male victims who had sought the service of a clandestine online escort agency.
“The victims would later be informed by someone purporting to be a police officer that a case of rape and fraud was open against them as they used fake money to pay the sex workers,” the Hawks said at the time.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has called for cellphone signal-blocking technology to be rolled out at Pollsmoor Prison, warning that criminals are using mobile phones behind bars to coordinate extortion rackets.
Hill-Lewis said the city has received various reports that crime and extortion activity is being coordinated by phone from within Pollsmoor, and it is evident that authorities must do more than just jail criminals; they must also prevent their ability to coordinate crime from within prisons.
“I have written to the minister to offer the city's full support to pilot sophisticated signal-blocking tech at Pollsmoor. We have to flip the switch on cellphones in prisons, and we welcome the minister's public commitments to cracking down on this,” he said.
DCS must also send a firm message that it will not tolerate corrupt behaviour among its officials.
An aggressive stance against corruption is essential for restoring the integrity of the prison system. Officials found guilty of enabling the entry of contraband must face consequences that would deter others. By attending to the issue of contraband finding a way into prisons, we will be ensuring that our correctional facilities fulfil their intended role of rehabilitating offenders and preparing them for reintegration into society.
Proper rehabilitation will not be achieved if they continue to have access to things they should not be accessing.
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