A surprise raid at Pollsmoor Prison on Wednesday night has exposed serious security lapses and widespread contraband smuggling.
Led by Correctional Services Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale, officials seized more than 100 cellphones, 300 packets of dagga, mandrax pills, tik, and even an illegal television.
One cellphone contained WhatsApp messages linking an inmate to a known gang member outside the prison. Authorities have withheld further details due to an ongoing investigation.
In one instance, an inmate had hidden six phones inside a hollowed-out brick. Others were smuggled into the facility via body cavities. Thobakgale acknowledged that corrupt officials often play a role in enabling these breaches.
The raid, which focused on the Remand Section, included a thorough search of both detainees and sentenced offenders working in the kitchen. Over 800 inmates were searched in a coordinated operation aimed at rooting out illegal contraband and restoring order.
Among the confiscated items were:
- 119 cellphones
- 74 cellphone chargers
- 50 cable chargers
- 41 cellphone batteries
- 34 SIM cards
- 81 sharp objects
- 37 dagga pipes
- 305 packets of dagga (854.80g)
- 36 mandrax tablets (approx. 50g)
- Tik (34g)
- Cash totalling R363.60
- Various other contraband items
The operation was carried out by 124 members of the Correctional Services Emergency Support Team, supported by 23 SAPS officers and seven Metro Police personnel.
Thobakgale emphasised the importance of regular search operations, especially in high-risk areas like the Remand Section.
“These operations are not only necessary, but vital. They reinforce our commitment to creating secure, rehabilitative environments that support correction, development, and reformation,” he said.
He also warned that contraband undermines both institutional security and the rehabilitation process.
The Department of Correctional Services says it will continue to tighten internal security and target known hotspots.
