Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald says Operation Vala 2025/26 exposed major prison security gaps after more than 8,000 cellphones, weapons and drugs were seized across South Africa’s correctional facilities.
Image: GCIS
Minister of Correctional Services Pieter Groenewald has revealed that Operation Vala 2025/26 resulted in the seizure of more than 8,000 cellphones and thousands of weapons across correctional facilities, exposing persistent security gaps linked to budget and staffing shortages.
Groenewald disclosed the figures in a written parliamentary reply to questions from Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Member of Parliament (MP) Nontando Nolutshungu, who requested details on contraband seizures, security breaches, and risk assessments at facilities including Pollsmoor and Oudtshoorn.
He confirmed that in the Western Cape alone, authorities seized 1,309 items of contraband, including 1,010 cellphones, 299 sharpened objects or weapons, as well as significant quantities of drugs such as cannabis, tik, mandrax and cocaine. Cash amounting to R5,424.41 was also confiscated during the operation.
Nationally, Gauteng recorded the highest number of cellphones and cash confiscated, while KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest drug seizures. The Eastern Cape recorded the highest number of sharpened objects recovered.
Gauteng recorded the highest number of cell phones at 2,321, along with 465 sharpened objects and drug seizures, including 6,749.86g of dagga and 170.50g of crystal meth. The province also recorded R37,193.70 in cash seizures.
KwaZulu-Natal recorded 1,855 cellphones, 499 sharpened objects, and more than 20,000g of dagga (11,874.06g and 8,755.5g combined), as well as R11,511.40 in cash.
The Eastern Cape recorded 1,298 cellphones and 768 sharpened objects, alongside drug seizures including dagga, tik and mandrax, and cash totalling R28,379.99.
The Free State/Northern Cape cluster recorded 374 cellphones and 494 sharpened objects, with 2,058.28g of dagga, mandrax tablets and tik, and R12,074.75 in cash.
The Limpopo/Mpumalanga/North West region recorded 1,349 cellphones and 424 sharpened objects, along with 13,899.78g of dagga and R10,580.23 in cash.
The Western Cape recorded 866 cellphones and 494 sharpened objects, along with 10,745g of dagga, 1,012.5 mandrax tablets, 205g of tik and smaller quantities of other drugs. Cash seizures amounted to R2,986.
Groenewald also confirmed that a total of 8,063 cellphones were confiscated nationally during the operation, alongside 3,144 sharpened objects and weapons. Authorities also recovered more than 46,070g of dagga, 9,174.5 dagga blades, 1,328 and a quarter mandrax tablets, 388 tik items weighing 205g, and 170.50g of crystal meth.
Cash and other items worth R102,726.07 were also seized, along with foreign currency including Pula, Kwacha, Maluti and Meticais.
The department reported that 12 security breaches were recorded between December 1, 2025 and January 31, 2026.
These included inmate-on-inmate assaults, contraband incidents involving visitors, staff misconduct cases and an erroneous offender release.
''At Pollsmoor, incidents included an official caught with contraband at Pollsmoor Med A, an erroneous release of an offender at Pollsmoor Med B on 5 December 2025, and a case at Pollsmoor Female in which an official was suspected of exchanging a cellphone with an offender on 8 December 2025.
''In the Southern Cape, authorities recorded four inmate-on-inmate assaults, one incident of contraband found on a visitor, and two incidents involving individuals climbing correctional centre walls to drop contraband inside facilities,'' said Groenewald.
The department said that no protocol violations were recorded during the period.
In Allandale, inmates involved in assaults were charged departmentally and restricted from amenities for up to 42 days, he said.
''At Pollsmoor Med A, an official found with contraband was dismissed in March 2026 after the investigation was finalised. The erroneous release case remains under investigation, with the official suspended pending disciplinary proceedings,'' he said.
Groenewald also said the Pollsmoor Female case involving suspected cellphone exchange has been finalised, with the official to be charged and subjected to disciplinary action.
In the Southern Cape, contraband-related incidents involving visitors were handed over to SAPS, while perimeter breaches involving individuals climbing walls prompted intensified patrols using K-9 units and quad bikes.
Groenewald pointed to ongoing structural weaknesses in the correctional system, including infrastructure failures and staffing shortages.
He noted that “inadequate perimeter fences around some Correctional Centres result in intruders gaining access to plant or throw in contraband,” adding that this remains a key risk factor.
He further highlighted budget constraints as a major challenge, stating that “lack of funding due to cost containment measures has prevented the procurement of security equipment such as CCTV Cameras, resulting in limited capacity to address security breaches.”
The minister also said staffing shortages continue to strain facilities, particularly during peak holiday periods when annual leave reduces available personnel.
He explained that “the Department is faced with a shortage of security personnel (resignations, pensions, deaths, etc.),” adding that festive season staffing levels often force centres to operate with skeleton staff.
Groenewald further confirmed that joint operations with SAPS anti-gang units could not be fully implemented during the 2025/26 Operation Vala period due to budget constraints.
Despite these challenges, he said additional security measures have been introduced following the operation, including increased deployment of Emergency Support Teams at high-risk facilities, intensified searches at entry and exit points, and strengthened access control systems.
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