South Africa's prison population surges to 166,924 amid budget constraints
The total population of inmates increased to 166,924 as of December 31, 2024, throughout South Africa.
Image: Steve Lawrence / Independent Newspapers
Within three months, 6,571 more inmates occupied prisons throughout South Africa, bringing the total population of inmates to 166,924 as of December 31, 2024.
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) presented the 3rd Quarter Performance Report for the 2024/25 financial year to the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services on Tuesday, noting that the prison population increased from 160,353 on 30 September 2024.
In the DCS report, reference was made to the capital budget being underfunded by R222 million, constraining infrastructure upgrades and maintenance.
The DCS stated that food costs have surged, driven not only by inflation and a growing inmate population, but also by the rising number of foreign nationals housed in correctional facilities, which are experiencing the highest concentration of this challenge.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Ad loading
Approximately 27% of offenders in Gauteng are foreign nationals. Polokwane and Thohoyandou in Limpopo, Barberton in Mpumalanga, and Klerksdorp, North West, correctional centres admitted more remand detainees, mostly foreign nationals, due to SAPS operations Vala Umgodi and Shanela, where they were charged for illegal mining and illegal immigration.
The DCS stated that due to municipal tariffs for electricity, water, and sanitation escalating above the Consumer Price Index, it is creating further strain on the already stretched goods and services budget.
The department stated that the branch budget is also severely constrained, hampering efforts to modernise digital infrastructure and cybersecurity.
The DCS did not meet its target in Information Technology (IT) because of a number of sites where a mesh network and an integrated security system (ISS) are installed.
The reason provided was attributed to a delay in the testing of the Audio Visual Remand (AVR) due to the unavailability of the confirmed court dates by the Department of Justice.
The DCS also stated that funds allocated for the Local Area Network (LAN) infrastructure project were insufficient due to a budget shortfall for the Microsoft licenses. It highlighted that overcrowding in correctional facilities is in excess of approved bed space capacity.
'The admission of remand detainees and sentenced offenders exceeds the outflow of cases from the system,' the DCS stated.
The unsentenced inmate population increased by 5,934, while the sentenced offender population increased by 637.
With regard to overcrowding in Gauteng, the DCS stated that the Leeuwkop Medium B is unable to utilise four cells with a capacity of 160 because of two burnt cells and two that are adjacent to the burnt cells. At the same facility, the DCS cannot use the Delta units with a bed space of 340 due to a lack of resources; further details are not provided.
The DCS was allocated a budget of R27.8 billion, with 60% going towards incarceration, amounting to R16.7bn.
zainul.dawood@inl.co.za
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
9 hours ago
- IOL News
Premier Winde announces intensified efforts against extortion in Western Cape
Premier Alan Winde outlines the Western Cape's intensified efforts to tackle extortion through cross-sector collaboration. Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers. The Western Cape government is intensifying its battle against extortion by implementing a comprehensive, collaborative strategy that brings together law enforcement, the private sector, and local communities. Premier Alan Winde has described this issue as a 'cancer' that threatens both economic growth and public safety in the province. Speaking at his weekly digital press conference (digicon) on safety, Premier Winde was joined by Business Against Crime South Africa (BACSA) Western Cape Chairperson, Hubert Paulse, to showcase the province's increased multi-sectoral efforts to confront the growing scourge of extortion. 'This was about the whole of government and society coming together to coordinate ourselves better to confront this 'cancer' called extortion and to discuss how we are going to rid ourselves of this horrendous crime that impacts so many of our residents and businesses,' said Winde. 'It strangles economic growth and job creation. Daily, it threatens residents' safety and their livelihoods, robbing them of opportunities and their dignity.' Winde stressed that the only way to dismantle these extortion networks, often referred to as 'extortion mafias', is through collaboration across all levels of society. 'The only way we will eradicate 'extortion mafias' is if we all work together,' he said. Extortion emerged as a key focus at this week's Western Cape Government Multi-Sectoral Anti-Extortion Summit, which convened provincial ministers, SAPS representatives, the City of Cape Town, and academics to coordinate strategies aimed at combating the extortion crisis affecting local communities and businesses. BACSA, a non-profit public-private partnership established in 1996, has played a leading role in building safety partnerships across the country. Paulse highlighted how the organisation's initiatives are being used to fight extortion and other crimes, stating:` 'Our message is simple but powerful. We foster collaboration with all stakeholders to fight crime. When we work together, we do not just reduce crime, we restore hope. And with hope comes confidence. Businesses become more willing to invest, and that investment leads to the creation of more jobs.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading One of BACSA's key crime-fighting tools is its Eyes and Ears Initiative (E2), a technology-driven platform that links private security companies and other vetted partners with SAPS command centres. According to Paulse, this network uses surveillance tech such as drones and licence plate recognition to bolster real-time law enforcement responses. 'The private security industry outnumbers the police service 4:1. We are using that geographical footprint to increase the operational response and awareness of the SAPS,' said Paulse. He added that the Western Cape is 'the first province that has E2 controllers in all 6 policing districts.' Premier Winde reinforced the need to outpace criminals by embracing innovation. 'Criminals are using technology. We have to be one better than them.' Beyond tech solutions, Winde reiterated the importance of community involvement through neighbourhood watches and community policing forums. 'There is no doubt that residents who form or join NHWs know more about what is going on in their areas than anyone else, and they form essential partnerships with SAPS and municipal law enforcement,' he said. Paulse echoed this view, saying, 'We call it 'community-oriented policing'. That is what we are promoting.' Ahead of the digicon, Winde also chaired a meeting of the Western Cape Provincial Safety Council, where he welcomed a recent proposal by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to give metro law enforcement agencies more authority. 'This is a positive step forward, we must all be obsessed and driven by the same thing: to build a safer, prosperous province and country,' the Premier said. The council also received updates on the Safer City Collaboration Cooperation Agreement signed in August 2024, which is focused on strengthening intelligence-sharing and operational coordination between SAPS, provincial departments, and the City of Cape Town. Condemning recent taxi-related violence, Winde praised the swift and coordinated response. 'It is intolerable that disputes are 'negotiated' through the barrel of a gun. I want to commend all the role players, from provincial traffic and city law enforcement to SAPS and our officials, for the speed and coordination with which they responded to the violence and threats. You truly showed how powerful we can be when we work together.' IOL News
IOL News
16 hours ago
- IOL News
Cape Town father challenges R172,000 maintenance order, citing financial strain despite over R1 million bonus
A Cape Town father who receives over R1 million in bonuses challenged a ruling which ordered him to pay over R172,000 maintenance. Image: Pexels A Cape Town father who reportedly receives over R1 million in annual bonuses, has challenged the mother of his children and refused to produce his proof of income. The parents, who divorced in August 2010, have been at odds over financial responsibilities, as the mother continues to care for their children, aged 15 and 19. In February 2025, the maintenance court ordered the father to pay R172,188.63, which, amongst other things, will go towards the tuition cost of their older child. The money had to be paid before the end of March 2025. He was further ordered to pay over R20,000 towards the annual school fees of their second child. The total amount he had to pay was over R222,000. However, following the court's ruling, the father swiftly filed an urgent application in the Western Cape High Court to suspend the maintenance order. He argued that the amount was nearly double his net salary, asserting his financial inability to honour such payments. The high court granted a temporary suspension of the order, while simultaneously requiring the mother to demonstrate why this suspension should not become permanent pending the appeal hearing. The mother took further legal action, serving both the father and his employer with a subpoena duces tecum. A subpoena duces tecum is a court order requiring a person to appear in court and produce specific documents or other physical evidence relevant to a legal case. According to the mother, the father misled the court in his application to suspend the maintenance order. She argued that the maintenance court granted the order in line with what was provided by the father in terms of his monthly salary as well as his annual bonus which amounts to over R1 million. She further argued that the father did not provide proof to support his claim that he cannot afford to pay maintenance. He also didn't provide any evidence to support that his financial position had changed for the worse since the order was made. Furthermore, she said the father lied in his affidavit as his IRP5 showed that he had received more than R1 million in March 2025. With this information, she sought to have the interim order suspending the maintenance order to be dismissed. Furthermore, the mother highlighted discrepancies in the father's affidavit, alleging that his IRP5 tax document, which revealed earnings exceeding R1 million as of March 2025, illustrates his capacity to pay the mandated maintenance while still maintaining a comfortable lifestyle. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading In response, the father approached the high court again, seeking to have the subpoena set aside. He claimed the documents requested by the mother were irrelevant and warned that such disclosures would cause irreparable harm. Presiding over the matter, Judge James Lekhuleni said the previous maintenance court order revealed that the mother battled to coerce the father to honour his maintenance obligations. He only provided financial support to the children when it suited him. He commented on the mother's diligent efforts, recognising that she was an unrepresented litigant trying to safeguard her children's welfare. The judge made it clear that the mother's attempts to compel the father to meet his obligations should not be viewed as an abuse of the legal system. Moreover, judge Lekhuleni emphasised that denying the subpoena would unduly harm the mother and the children, while the father would not suffer significant prejudice from its continuation. "As I see it, there is no prejudice that the applicant (father) will suffer if the subpoena is not set aside. While on the other hand, setting aside the subpoena will have deleterious effects on the first respondent (mother) and the children," he said. The father's application was dismissed. IOL News Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Insights from the Joshlin Smith case: A prosecutor's perspective on human trafficking
State Prosecutor Advocate Zelda Swanepoel Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers Nearly a month after three people were sentenced for trafficking Joshlin Smith from Saldanha, the case remains a hot topic. While questions still surround the whereabouts of the green-eyed girl who captured the hearts of the nation, the State Prosecutor during the trial, Advocate Zelda Swanepoel, spoke about her perspective on the case. On May 29, Jacquen 'Boeta' Appollis, Steveno van Rhyn and Kelly Smith were sentenced to life imprisonment plus 10 years for trafficking in persons and kidnapping. Speaking on Thursday, Swanepoel said the moment she heard about the Joshlin case, she knew this was going to be difficult, as we (South Africa) had no precedent for a case of this kind. Limited evidence, a deluge of rumours, the ongoing investigation, criticism against the section 204 (State witness - former accused Laurenia Lombaard) witness, the need for corroboration, the reality that many witnesses suffer from drug addiction, and more were the challenges she knew they would face during the trial. Joshlin Smith has been missing since February 19, 2024. Image: Supplied Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'We knew from the start. We were aware of conflicting versions. We foresaw this,' she said. The strategy was to rely on their most important witness, Lombaard, as well as Steven Coetzee. He testified that Kelly expressed she would be selling her children and how, by the next year (2024), Saldanha would look like a Netflix movie with cars, police, etc, alluding to how the area looked after Joshlin was reported missing on February 19, 2024. The State told the story from the beginning, from when two officers responded to the call of a missing child and presented their evidence in chronological order. 'We set the scene to prove that Joshlin was indeed missing,' Swanepoel said. 'Although we had to be innovative and adjust our strategy, we stuck to the initial plan for most of the trial. I usually draw up an action plan for a trial She also expressed her disappointment that the convicted traffickers, especially Kelly, did not testify during the trial. She said in South Africa, there is no offence called human trafficking, and they realised there were gaps, but then decided to take this matter on trafficking in persons, whereby the person becomes the commodity, objectifying the person for the person for exploitation. This would fall within the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act (PACOTIP). Challenging Swanepoel said the most challenging matter in this case was the media presence. 'I felt like I was under a microscope all the time. My facial expressions, everything was out there,' she explained. She also explained that getting witnesses ready, knowing there was so much media attention. Witnesses also had nowhere to hide as everyone would be watching as they delivered their evidence. 'This case was extremely difficult and emotionally draining. We went on a rollercoaster ride of emotions all the time. It was extremely exhausting; we also had to drive in every day from Cape Town to Saldanha, bringing the law to the people. We were constantly working. Adapting to the trial plan. Behind the scenes, I was transcribing, which is tiring, documents had to be translated,' Swanepoel said. She said they also had to adjust to the tempo of the trial as the court sat full days, full weeks. 'The trial was 40 court days, which is a miracle. But, this means everybody adapted and cooperated,' Swanepoel said. She said the other challenges faced were from some critics, the political party's involvement, with criticism levelled throughout the trial. As well as the criticism expressed on social media. 'It is important to respect the role of law enforcement. It is also important to remember, we are all human,' she said. Success Swanepoel said the success was the landmark ruling in this case. This is the first time a conviction has been handed down for a trafficking in persons case where the child is sold and has not yet been found. 'The court found the specific exploitation in the form of slavery,' she said. This case was also filled with many firsts for her as a prosecutor. 'Doing a PowerPoint presentation whereby we illustrated a timeline of the events. We also produced an electronic mind map that illustrated different arguments. I have never used this for court. It worked, and the court incorporated some of our timeline in the judgment. ' Swanepoel said. She also praised the media's involvement. 'Because of the media, justice was brought to the people. I would like to say thank you for all their dedication every day. Throughout the process, they treated everyone with respect,' Swanepoel said. Jacquen Appollis, Steveno van Rhyn, and Kelly Smith were sentenced to life imprisonment. Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers
