Authorities Find Spaza Shop During Zonderwater Correctional Centre
- A raid at the Zonderwater Correctional Centre in Tshwane revealed that prisoners were running establishments behind bars
- Authorities, including the Department of Correctional Services, raided the facility, and in one of the cells, a spaza shop was found
- South Africans were disappointed, and some blamed the government for the gross negligence resulting in a spaza shop in prison
With 10 years’ experience, Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, provided insights into the criminal justice system, crime statistics, commissions of inquiry, and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.
Source: Getty Images
PRETORIA, GAUTENG — South Africans slammed the government after a raid at the Zonderwater Correctional Centre in Tshwane on 18 December 2025. Authorities uncovered a spaza shop operating in one of the cells.
Kaya News posted a video of the raid on its @KayaNews X account. The video showed authorities raiding one of the cells. One of the lockers is opened and reveals contents including bottles of soft drinks, sugar, cigarettes, rice, tomato sauce, and mayonnaise. The bottom shelf of the lockers has teabags.
Authorities raid Zambesi Building
Authorities also found cellphones, money, and syringes at the prison. The DCS commissioner, Makgothi Thobakgale, said that prison management must be held accountable for prisoners possessing items illegally. He said offenders are not supposed to have tuckshops capable of servicing 200 families.
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View the video on X here:
A look at prison raids in South Africa
Correctional Services confiscated contrabands during a raid at the St Albans Correctional Centre on 16 September 2024. Authorities found cellphones and R2,000 on one of the inmates during the raid.
A raid at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre in Tshwane on 6 July 2025 revealed contraband items in the prison cells. Alleged cartel boss and tenderpreneur Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala's cell was also searched, and his cellphone was confiscated. ActionSA's Chief Whip, Athol Trollip, said the phone must be forensically examined.
Source: Getty Images
What did South Africans say?
Netizens commenting on X were in disbelief. Some South Africans slammed the government.
The Wolf said:
"That's misconduct. I mean, it's equivalent to a teacher giving her learners exam notes."
Golden Brown said:
"Whenever such things are discovered, every official should lose their jobs."
Gadfly said:
"Stopping inmate business and contraband is basic prison security. But DCS can't moralise phones while ignoring overcrowding, collapsing facilities, and staff graft."
Cindy Maryline said:
"I thought I had seen it all, but seeing a whole shop in a prison wasn't on my Bingo card."
George Math said:
"Can you please crack the whip? Prison wardens are complicit in this crime."
Guns allegedly belonging to Cat Matlala were found during raid
In a similar article, Briefly News reported that businesswoman Shawun Mkhize was linked to Matlala after firearms belonging to him were allegedly found in her home. This was revealed during a media briefing the Portfolio Committee on police held on 7 July 2025.
The South African Police Service raided her La Lucia mansion in KwaZulu-Natal in November 2024. Committee chairperson Ian Cameron made the allegations.
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Source: Briefly News
