Members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Department of Correctional Services officers seized numerous contraband including PlayStation consoles, mobile phones and television sets during a raid at Johannesburg Correctional Centre, also known as Sun City.
The raid happened on Wednesday night, led by Department of Correctional Services head, Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale.
Speaking to journalists during the raid, Thobakgale said correctional services officials must provide answers.
“Firstly, we start with unit managers. In every unit, there is a unit manager who now needs to account for what we found here. The second thing is to tighten security especially around the movement (that is) movements to court, movements to hospitals and even movements inside the centre,” he said.
“These movements are the ones which provide the opportunity for this contraband to be exchanged.”
The commissioner says overcrowding with the prisons across South Africa is contributing to the problem of contraband.
“It is difficult to search. Most of these offenders what they do, they hide contraband in objects where you will not think they will hide them. Others will hide them inside television sets, that is why we have taken them. We have to unscrew and see what is inside. They hide them (contraband) in containers of what they use to bath or as toiletries,” said Thobakgale.
“They hide them inside food containers. In instances where they are also able to make provisions, they hide them in mattresses so that is why you see we had to search even the mattresses and pillows.”
Earlier on Thursday, IOL reported that Thobakgale has welcomed the arrest of two officials based at Ermelo correctional facility, for attempting to smuggle dagga and a mobile phone with accessories.
The two were caught during a surprise search as they reported for duty at 6.55am on Wednesday.
“The South African Police Service (SAPS) processed the two officials, who are now facing criminal charges. Additionally, Department of Correctional Services will initiate disciplinary proceedings in line with its policies and legal procedures,” said correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo.
Meanwhile, Thobakgale has commended the Department of Correctional Services’ team which intercepted the contraband for their vigilance and professionalism, and further emphasized the department's commitment to enhance security protocols while ensuring adherence to strict ethical guidelines.
“This incident underscores our commitment to maintaining integrity and security within correctional facilities, as well as our ongoing efforts to combat illegal activities in the correctional system," Thobakgale stated.
Last week, IOL reported that money, cellphones and dagga pipes were among the contraband confiscated from inmates during a raid at the Goodwood Correctional Centre in Western Cape, where an inmate went viral on social media for showing prisoners living the “soft life” at the facility.
The surprise raid followed the surfacing of a video shared on TikTok by Zimbabwean national Bornface Banks, who boasted that inmates got to live for free without paying for rent, electricity, toiletries, food and education.
IOL