Thousands of cellphones and R100k cash seized in prison raids during festive season

The department of correctional services (DCS) has released the results of its Operation Vala festive season initiative, revealing a massive haul of contraband across South Africa’s prisons. The operation, conducted in December and January, is an annual initiative designed to bolster security during the festive period. National commissioner for correctional services Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale briefed the media on Monday, detailing the operation’s outcomes and providing updates on security investigations in the Western Cape.

A total of 5,592 searches were conducted nationwide. Thobakgale noted that these operations required sustained effort, with 59,310 correctional officials participating in multiple deployments over the two-month period. The Gauteng and Western Cape regions were the busiest hubs, accounting for 56% of all searches conducted nationally.

The department reported zero escapes during the duration of the operation. The intensified searches yielded a staggering number of illicit items: Cellphones: 8,063 devices were seized. Gauteng was the primary hotspot, accounting for 2,321 devices.

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Sharpened objects: 3,144 weapons and shanks were removed. The Eastern Cape, Free State, and Northern Cape recorded the highest volumes of these dangerous items. “While the Western Cape conducted the highest number of searches, it yielded lower cash recoveries compared to regions like the Eastern Cape,” Thobakgale noted.

“This disparity highlights differing patterns of illicit activity, including cashless illegal operations.” The commissioner also highlighted the severe strain on the department. During the festive season, the inmate population surged to 170,739, far exceeding the department’s approved capacity of about 107,000 beds. “This represents the highest incarceration population reported in recent years,” Thobakgale said. “It has placed immense pressure on infrastructure, staffing, security management, and budgets — a situation compounded by reduced court activity during the holidays.”

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