Overcrowding Crisis: South Africa's Prisons House 170,000 Inmates in a 107,000-Bed Capacity System

• South Africa's prisons face severe overcrowding, with over 170,000 inmates amid a 107,000-bed capacity
• Operation Vala confiscated 8,063 cellphones and various contraband items during the festive season security operations
• Disciplinary actions have been taken against hundreds of officials involved in contraband smuggling within prisons

Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.

National Commissioner of Correctional Services Makgothi Thubakgale said South Africa’s prisons remain under severe strain due to overcrowding, with more than 170,000 inmates detained over the festive season, despite an approved bed capacity of just over 107,000.

Prisons under severe strain due to overcrowding

He explained that this level of incarceration, the highest recorded in recent years, has placed immense pressure on infrastructure, staffing, security management, and the department’s budget. Thubakgale noted that the situation was compounded by reduced court activity during the festive period, although courts are now fully operational and releases have resumed.

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He described overcrowding as affecting virtually every facility in the country, with almost all facilities operating at more than 150% of approved capacity. He added that the rising inmate population reflects the effectiveness of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster, particularly the police, prosecution, and courts, in addressing crime, but continues to strain the correctional system.

5,592 searches were conducted

The commissioner provided an update on the outcomes of the 2025 and 2026 festive season security operations, known as Operation Vala, which involved monitoring and tracing parolees through a multi-agency approach, including municipal police and the South African Police Service. He said a total of 5,592 searches were conducted across correctional centres nationwide, requiring repeated and sustained deployments that involved 59,310 correctional officials, many participating in multiple operations.

Thubakgale highlighted that intensified searches led to the confiscation of 8,063 cellphones nationwide, 3,144 sharpened objects and weapons, more than 46kg of loose dagga along with thousands of dagga slopes and blades, significant quantities of mandrax tablets, including 1,012.5 tablets in the Western Cape and 199 in the Free State and Northern Cape, R102,726.07 in South African currency, small amounts of foreign currency, and R400 in counterfeit South African notes in the Free State and Northern Cape, pointing to organised smuggling networks.

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Action taken against hundreds of officials implicated

He said the department has taken action against hundreds of officials implicated in contraband smuggling, administering 312 cases, of which 266 have been finalised, resulting in disciplinary measures and some dismissals. He added that 30 cases are still being administered and will be concluded independently.

Thubakgale explained that contraband enters facilities through several channels, including visitors and corrupt officials, and emphasised that all those caught attempting to smuggle illicit items into correctional facilities, including staff, face criminal investigation and disciplinary action. He noted that high-tech detection equipment is being deployed across facilities, but financial constraints prevent full coverage, making staff vigilance critical.

Thabo Bester transferred to eBongweni prison

In a related article, Briefly News also reported that Thabo Bester has been moved to a super maximum facility in KwaZulu-Natal without his legal team's knowledge.

The convicted murderer was previously incarcerated at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre (C-Max) in Pretoria. The Department of Correctional Services said that the transfer of prisoners was a standard operational practice.

Source: Briefly News