Miles Bhudu, president of the South African Prisoners’ Organisation for Human Rights (SAPOHR), has warned that corruption will continue to plague the country’s prisons unless the Department of Correctional Services undergoes political reform. His remarks come amid an investigation into allegations that wealthy inmates are bribing officials for preferential treatment.
Reports indicate that some affluent prisoners have been paying for "hospital holidays" and securing exemptions from standard prison conditions at facilities such as Durban Westville Prison and New Prison in Pietermaritzburg.
Bhudu emphasized the need for serious engagement from the minister and accountability from national commissioners, who he claims are often more concerned with their own interests than the proper functioning of correctional facilities. “As long as the minister does not take us seriously and national commissioners are deployees uninterested in their daily duties, we will continue to witness a lack of accountability in our correctional services,” he stated.
He suggested that incorporating political oversight could help address these issues, advocating for transparency in prison operations. “We are promoting a culture of silence and secrecy within our prisons. By politicizing this institution, we may see more adherence to proper protocols,” Bhudu concluded.