The tuckshop found in a cell at Zonderwater Correctional Centre. Picture: The Department of Correctional Services/Facebook National Commissioner for Correctional Services Makgothi Thobakgale led an unannounced operation at Zonderwater Correctional Centre in Pretoria on Thursday night and uncovered several surprises. The operation aimed to remove contraband and other prohibited items from the facility.
The initiative is part of the department’s ongoing efforts to strengthen safety and security in correctional centres, particularly during the festive season, ensuring orderly, safe, and secure environments for officials, inmates and the broader community. Officials uncovered contraband items such as cellphones, cash, syringes and a tuckshop operating inside a cell. “It is unacceptable that some offenders engage in illegal activities that undermine security.
We will take firm and decisive action against those involved,” said Thobakgale. On Wednesday, officials also conducted a search operation at Witbank Correctional Facility. The operation focused on two cells, the old centre kitchen cell and the new centre kitchen and involved 52 offenders.
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During the operation, the following unauthorised items were confiscated: Thobakgale said that as South Africans celebrate the festive season, correctional facilities are implementing their safety campaign, known as Operation Vala. “It is a time where we issue out instructions about ensuring that our correctional facilities, our community corrections offices and operations observe stricter safety and security measures,” said Thobakgale.
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