In a surprising revelation, it was disclosed that foreign nationals now outnumber South African inmates in some of the country’s correctional facilities. At Pretoria’s Baviaanspoort Prison, for instance, of the 525 offenders, only 125 are South African, with the rest hailing from various foreign countries. This alarming statistic was shared by Anthea Ramolobeng, the chairwoman of the Correctional Services Committee, during a parliamentary security briefing on Tuesday, 21 January.
Ramolobeng further highlighted that South African prisons currently hold around 22,000 foreign nationals, including 690 serving life sentences for serious crimes. “This is a dire concern for the department,” she said, emphasizing the growing challenge posed by this high number of foreign prisoners. The increase in foreign nationals in South African jails has raised questions about the broader implications for the country’s correctional system.
South Africa’s correctional facilities are grappling with severe overcrowding, with the current prison population standing at 156,000—far exceeding the 105,474 approved bed spaces. This results in a 48% overcrowding rate, which is putting a strain on resources and personnel. Of particular concern is the 36% of the population—approximately 55,776 inmates—who are remand detainees, awaiting trial.
In response to these mounting challenges, the Department of Correctional Services has developed an eight-pronged strategy to address overcrowding. This plan includes managing trial detainee numbers through better case management, increasing the use of community correctional supervision, facilitating parole releases, and transferring inmates between facilities to balance overcrowding.
Another pressing issue facing South African prisons is the rampant smuggling of contraband. Ramolobeng expressed concern over the high volume of illegal items flooding into the facilities, noting that investigations into these smuggling operations did not align with the amount of contraband found. The department continues to address these challenges in an effort to maintain security and order within the prison system.
