Prisons in South Africa

Prisons in South Africa are run by the Department of Correctional Services. According to the ministry, there are approximately 34,000 employees of the department running 240 prisons. In those prisons are nearly 190,000 inmates at any given time. The prisons include minimum, medium and maximum security facilities. Since 2006, the Minister of Correctional Services has been Ngconde Balfour.

Notable former South African prisoners

During the Apartheid era, many political activists were imprisoned for campaigning against the government. These include: Nelson Mandela (1962-1990), Walter Sisulu, (1964-1989), Govan Mbeki (1964-1987), Raymond Mhlaba (1964-1989), Tokyo Sexwale (1977-1990) and many others. A notable recent inmate was Annanias Mathe, the only person to escape from the maximum security prison C Max in Pretoria.

Notable current and former prisons in South Africa

Notable current prisons include: Drakenstein Correctional Centre, formerly "Victor Verster Prison" near Paarl, the Old Gaol Building in Ingwavuma, Pollsmoor Prison (where the above prisoners served most of their sentences) in Tokai, Cape Town and Robben Island off the coast of Cape Town. C Max is a maximum security prison in Pretoria.

External links

* [http://www.dcs.gov.za/ Official Web site of the Department of Correctional Services]