VARIOUS technologies, including cellphone detection devices, are being rolled out at a number of jails nationwide to stamp out criminality and collusion between inmates and officials.
‘We have conducted a number of raids, cleaning our facilities of contraband items, yet more is still needed,’ said Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha.
‘It is for this reason that we are now installing cellphone detection technology.’
Staff training has been completed in seven correctional centres and in addition, the Department of Health has granted a licence to install body cavity scanners.
Installation has already begun in Johannesburg, St Albans, Pollsmoor and Kgosi Mampuru II.
Correctional Services director general Zach Modise said it was hoped the cellphone detection system would go a long way to prevent inmates from offending while behind bars.
‘These cellphones are a menace to us, creating a number of problems, where victims of crime and witnesses are being called by offenders from our facilities, intimidating and threatening witnesses,’ said Modise.
A decision has been made to also install CCTV cameras inside the prisons to detect inmates attacking each other.
‘What we really want to do is intervene and make sure that those that are in our facilities are not being threatened, assaulted, and abused.’
Information sourced from IOL.
