At least 8,000 cellphones, 45kg worth of dagga and more than R100,000 were confiscated from SA prisons during the festive period. These figures were announced during the department of correctional services (DCS) press conference held in Pretoria on Monday. According to DCS, 5,592 searches were conducted by 59,310 correctional officials across all prisons in the country, with Gauteng accounting for 56% of the raids, while no escapes were recorded.
National commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale saidOperation Valawas implemented while the prisons system was under intense strain. “During the festive season, the inmate population exceeded 170,739, far surpassing the department’s approved bed capacity of approximately 107,067. This level of incarceration represents the highest population recorded in recent years and has placed immense pressure on infrastructure, staffing, security management and budget, compounded by reduced court activity during the period,” he said.
Read Full Article on The Sowetan
