‘A gun will be smuggled and someone will die’: MPs raise alarm over contraband flooding SA prisons

Members of Parliament (MPs) have raised alarm over the vast amounts of contraband discovered in South Africa’s prisons by the Department of Correctional Services.

This week, the department briefed the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services about the extent of the issue, revealing alarming statistics from its 243 facilities.

As part of ongoing efforts to curb the smuggling of illicit items, the department conducted a series of raids targeting cellphones, weapons, and drugs.

Correctional Services on the battle against contraband

Correctional Services acting chief security officer Doctor Jordan described the situation as a continuous battle, highlighting the sophisticated smuggling techniques used by both inmates and corrupt officials.

“Addressing those challenges is critical to upholding security, preventing corruption, and fostering a safer correctional environment,” he said.

Over the past year, from January 2024 to January 2025, authorities confiscated 41 853 cellphones across all provinces.

The Eastern Cape recorded the highest number, with 10 639 devices seized, followed by Gauteng (8 793) and KwaZulu-Natal (7 117).

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In addition to mobile devices, security forces seized 11 894 sharpened objects, including knives, with Western Cape prisons accounting for the highest number (3 875), followed by the Eastern Cape (2 561), Gauteng (2 073), and KZN (1 907).

Authorities also intercepted 267.6 litres of alcohol and nearly 1.5 million grams of drugs.

More than R200 000 in proceeds from illicit drug sales was confiscated.

“Offenders are also from time to time brewing substances like alcohol,” Jordan said.

Watch the meeting below:

Jordan emphasised the importance of detecting contraband before it enters prison facilities.

“A concerning issue is the failure to criminally charge officials caught smuggling, especially when small quantities are found in their possession.

“Despite the law prohibiting any amount of illegal items within correctional facilities, some cases are not enrolled as they will not be able to stand for court.”

To address these challenges, the department has introduced stricter checkpoint inspections and enhanced accountability measures for prison heads.

Correctional services officials and visitors implicated

Jordan revealed that 64 officials were implicated in contraband smuggling over the past year.

Of these, 16 were dismissed, 37 remain under investigation, and only 11 have been criminally charged and handed over to the police.

Additionally, 145 offenders faced internal disciplinary action, resulting in revoked privileges such as shopping rights.

READ MORE: Correctional Services bust 285 officials and inmates for smuggling contraband in six months

Some were reclassified and transferred to other prisons.

The department also suspended 44 members of the public from visiting prisons after being caught with contraband.

Eleven contractors were similarly found with illicit items at security checkpoints, with all cases referred to law enforcement.

MPs call for urgent reforms

MPs across different political parties weighed in on the crisis.

Patriotic Alliance (PA) MP Marlon Daniels pointed out that some warders were being coerced into smuggling.

“I’m not trying to condone the smuggling of contraband. I’m trying to put myself in the shoes of our people so we can come up with ways and ideas to manage these types of realities that we really don’t want to talk about,” he said.

EFF MP Betty Diale raised concerns about the high number of cellphones found in prisons.

“If we had done such investigations, I’m sure we’d be able to have traced where those cellphones come from and who brought them into prison,” she said.

READ MORE: Weapons, drugs and corruption plague South African prisons, say experts

She also questioned the number of prison officials in smuggling operations.

“There’s a lot more involvement of officials in ensuring that contraband goes into prison.

“Clearly, inmates are unable to do this without the assistance of officials, so my thinking is not enough is being done to investigate the involvement of officials.”

DA MP Kabelo Kgobisa-Ngcaba called for improved security infrastructure, including perimeter fencing at 120 prisons, although she acknowledged the department’s staffing and resource shortages.

“One day they are going to smuggle a gun, and someone is going to die, so drugs are the least of your problems,” Kgobisa-Ngcaba warned.

‘Criminals are running these facilities’

MK party MP Sanele Mwali urged the department to take a tougher stance against corrupt officials.

“Criminals are running these facilities now, and some of them, I’m afraid to say, are wearing your uniform because they are complicit.”

Mwali also flagged the increasing use of social media by inmates.

“This problem of contraband, particularly cellphones, is allowing criminals to continue doing criminal activities in our cells.”

MK party MP Musawenkosi Gasa raised concerns about the lifestyle audits for officials as a tool to detect corruption.

READ MORE: Boksburg prison inmates start fire to prevent officials from confiscating cellphone

In response, Correctional Services National Commissioner Makgothi Thabakgale confirmed that 38 000 lifestyle audits had been conducted.

He added that confiscated cellphones were handed over to the police for analysis to track criminal networks operating from within prisons.

However, Thabakgale admitted that despite the department’s efforts, the volume of confiscated contraband barely scratched the surface of illicit activities in prisons.

“The amount of confiscated items is only a drop in the ocean of illicit operations that occur on e-commerce platforms in prisons and which remains unaccounted for.”

The commissioner also highlighted the difficulty of prosecuting officials caught with drugs, as they often claim the substances are for personal use.

“For now, we find this aspect tricky,” Thabakgale conceded.