These prisons vary in size, facilities, and inmate conditions.
Which are the worst prisons in South Africa today?
The facility currently holds more than 2,600 inmates, 567 of whom are serving not less than 10 years.
A view inside a prison. Photo: pexels.com, @FalkenpostSource: UGC
Tales of torture are quite commonplace at the facility.
Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison
Pollsmoor Prison is the largest prison in the Western Cape.
It isan overcrowded facilitylocated in Tokai, Cape Town.
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The facility was initially designed to hold about 3,900 inmates but currently has close to 9,000.
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The prison is renowned for its almost non-existent management.
In fact, it is almost entirely run by Cape Town gangs.
An inmate inside a prison cell. Photo: pexels.com, @ RODNAE ProductionsSource: UGC
Cases of violence and possession of crude weapons among inmates are commonplace.
Goodwood Prison
Also making it to the list ofworst correctional facilitiesin Mzansi is this Cape Town prison.
The centre was initially established to accommodate detainees awaiting trial.
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Unfortunately, what started as a good plan quickly took a turn for the worse.
This facility houses 906 of the most notorious and high-risk offenders.
Inmates are under strict surveillance and spend 23 hours in solitary confinement.
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Grootvlei Prison
This facility is renowned for housing the largest number ofstate patients.
This facility holds some of the most notorious gang members in Cape Town.
Interestingly, the facility is classified as a low-security facility despite housing some notorious criminal offenders.
A block inside a prison. Photo: pixabay.com, @MarcelloRabozziSource: UGC
Hygiene is wanting, and cases of sickness abound.
At one time it was alleged that inmates drank water from geysers.
Leeukop Prison
This is one of the largest jails in South Africa, with an inmate population exceeding 30,000.
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The facility was initially established as a special centre for violent and disruptive prisoners.
Today, it is used to hold anyone categorized as dangerous according to the South African Criminal Procedure Act.
Leeukop also has an unenviable reputation as one of the most violent jails in the country.
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The Leeukop Juvenile Facility, located in the same compound, is among the worstjuvenile prisonsin South Africa.
How many prisons are in South Africa?
How many prisons are there in South Africa?
A dimly lit section of a jail. Photo: pixabay.com, @USA-ReisebloggerSource: UGC
There are currently 243correctional centres, with a total inmate population of slightly over 160,000.
How many female prisons are there in South Africa?
There are nine exclusive female prisons in South Africa.
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These facilities vary in size, composition, and inmate conditions.
Some of the worst ones have been known for numerous violations of prisoner rights.
Being famous has been known to come with its fair share of challenges and problems.
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She has a Bachelor of Commerce & IT from the University of Nairobi and joined Briefly.co.za in November 2019.
The writer completed a Google News Initiate Course.
you might email her at perisrodah254@gmail.com.
She tackles diverse topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle.
Previously, she worked at The Campanile by Kenyatta University.
She has more than five years in writing.
In 2023, Jackline finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and Google News Initiative course in 2024.
Email: simwajackie2022@gmail.com.
