In Pretoria’s Baviaanspoort Prison, a startling reality unfolds: foreign nationals outnumber local inmates by a significant margin.
Of the 525 offenders housed in the facility, only 125 hail from South Africa.
This came from Anthea Ramolobeng, chairwoman of the Correctional Services Committee, during a recent security briefing in Parliament.
She shed light on a broader trend, revealing that South African prisons accommodate 22,000 foreign nationals, including 690 serving life sentences for severe crimes.
“This is a dire concern for the department,” Ramolobeng emphasized, highlighting the strain such numbers place on correctional facilities.
The financial implications are substantial.
The department spends nearly R500 daily per inmate, an expense compounded by a population that far exceeds capacity.
According to the 2023/2024 statistics, South African prisons currently house 156,000 inmates, surpassing the approved bed space of 105,474.
This overcrowding results in a concerning 48% overcapacity rate.
Adding to the challenge are 55,776 remand detainees, who make up 36% of the prison population.
In response, the Department of Correctional Services has developed an eight-pronged strategy to address overcrowding.
Key initiatives include reducing trial detainee numbers through collaborative efforts like the Integrated Justice System Case Management Task Team and the Intersectoral Committee on Child Justice.
Other measures involve increasing reliance on community correctional supervision, expediting parole releases, and redistributing inmates to less crowded facilities.
Beyond overcrowding, correctional centres face another serious issue: contraband smuggling.
Ramolobeng voiced concern over the alarming volume of illegal items entering prisons.
Pointing out a worrying discrepancy between the contraband discovered and the number of investigations or disciplinary actions against officials.
This complex and multifaceted crisis underscores the urgent need for systemic reform.
As the department battles overcrowding and security breaches, it also carries the heavy responsibility of rehabilitating offenders in a strained and resource-constrained environment.
For South Africa’s correctional system, the road ahead demands resilience, collaboration, and innovative solutions to restore balance and integrity to its facilities
