By Johnathan Paoli
The crisis in the country’s correctional facilities, particularly in the Western Cape, has reached alarming proportions, with prisons meant to rehabilitate offenders, instead becoming operational hubs for organised crime, drug trafficking and violence.
National Council of Provinces member on security and justice Nicholas Gotsell has accused the Correctional Services Department, under Minister Pieter Groenewald, of failing dismally in its duty to ensure these institutions function as centres of rehabilitation rather than breeding grounds for further criminality.
“The DA will not stand by while the department turns a blind eye to the crisis in our prisons and the wider gang and drug problem on the Cape Flats. Urgent reforms and accountability measures must be put in place to protect the constitutional rights of all inmates and ensure public safety,” Gotsell said.
According to a parliamentary reply, 3875 weapons, including sharp objects, makeshift knives, scissors and other deadly tools, were confiscated over a 12-month period in Western Cape prisons.
Large quantities of drugs and alcohol continue to be smuggled into these facilities, highlighting the rampant corruption and security failures within the system.
Gotsell said instead of breaking the cycle of crime, South Africa’s prisons were perpetuating it. Prisons had become command centres for gang violence and extortion, with inmates orchestrating criminal activities both inside and outside prison walls.
He said the unchecked proliferation of weapons and drugs, facilitated in part by corrupt officials, was exacerbating the already dire security crisis.
Despite these glaring failures, the department has refused to fill critical security positions, leaving prisons dangerously understaffed and vulnerable to further corruption.
Inspecting Judge of Prisons Edwin Cameron recently expressed grave concerns over the deteriorating conditions in correctional facilities.
He described prisons as “overcrowded, dilapidated, and violent” where “gangs are pervasive, abuse is met with impunity and inmates struggle to access the education, training and rehabilitation programmes that should be at the heart of any correctional environment.”
Gotsell said his party was demanding immediate oversight and accountability from both the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS) and Groenewald.
The DA has formally written to JICS, urging it to fulfil its constitutional mandate by investigating and intervening in the security failures plaguing Western Cape prisons.
Additionally, it is calling for Groenewald to be held accountable before Parliament to explain how his department plans to address the systemic corruption and gang infiltration in these facilities.
The DA’s demands include ensuring JICS exercises its oversight function effectively by launching investigations into the security lapses and taking corrective action where necessary. It also wants the minister to give Parliament a concrete plan to combat gang-related activity and improve prison conditions.
In addition, the party calls for the filling of critical security vacancies to prevent further corruption and smuggling of contraband into prisons and implementing stronger anti-smuggling measures to curb the inflow of drugs, weapons and alcohol.
Lastly, Gotsell called for rooting out corrupt officials who enable and profit from illegal activities within correctional facilities.
The DA has also written to the Chairperson of Parliament’s Select Committee on Security and Justice, requesting that Groenewald be summoned to account for the findings.
The extent of drug smuggling into Western Cape prisons is staggering. Over the past year, 175kgof dagga and more than 18,000 mandrax tablets have been confiscated.
These figures only scratch the surface, as countless other contraband items continue to circulate within prison walls undetected.
The problem extends beyond drug smuggling.
The high number of remand detainees who frequently move in and out of the prison system has created a revolving door for contraband.
Recent reports reveal that 95 remand detainees were found in possession of drugs over a 12-month period, strongly suggesting collusion between inmates and correctional services employees.
Vacant security positions has led to poor inmate-to-warden ratios, making it easier for criminals to smuggle and distribute contraband without consequence.
Further adding to the crisis, a recent cost-cutting measure has altered inmate meal plans, reducing the portions of red meat, chicken and fish in favour of plant-based proteins like soya and beans.
While the department claims this change will save over R200 million annually and promote self-sufficiency programmes, many inmates have voiced strong dissatisfaction, describing the new meals as bland and inadequate.
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