By: Sthulile Mdletshe
The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services is deeply concerned about the high number of inmate deaths in South African prisons that are still being marked as unknown or unnatural.
This comes after a report from the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services was presented to the committee, covering the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year.
The report revealed that 177 complaints were received during this period.
These included 46 cases of inmate-on-inmate assaults, 29 complaints of prison officials assaulting inmates, and 21 cases linked to attempted suicides.
Committee Chairperson Kgomotso Ramolobeng has demanded a detailed report especially questioning how it’s possible that some inmate deaths remain unexplained one or two years later.
“Outside the investigator speaking on it, I would like to hear what the head of the centre says actually transpired. And the reason I am saying this, is on the bases that the investigation team comes to investigate an event that would have happened but those who would have been there must be able to give occurrence of what really transpired, but I struggle to get hold of the head of centre. When I eventually got hold of him, he said he isn’t at liberty to give me a report of what has happened,” says Ramolobeng.
