Prisons buckle as overcrowding hits 169 000 against 107 000 beds
Inmate population at 169 537 at end of March against approved bed capacity of 107 054 with pressure intensifying over the past five years.
The country's correctional facilities are struggling to cope with record overcrowding, with the inmate population reaching 169,537 by the end of March 2026, exceeding the approved bed capacity of 107,054. Over the past five years, the inmate population has surged by 18%, from 143,223 in 2021-22 to the current figure, while the approved bed capacity has declined by 1.5%, falling from 108,804 to 107,054. This overcrowding is primarily driven by admissions outpacing the number of individuals leaving the correctional system.
Remand detainees, individuals held awaiting trial outcomes, account for a significant portion of the inmate population, making up 37% of all prisoners. As of March 2026, there were 62,711 remand detainees, amounting to a substantial 37% of the total inmate count. Gauteng province recorded the highest number of sentenced offenders, with 22,480 individuals, while the combined Gauteng and Western Cape accounted for 32,023 remand detainees.
The department of correctional services has been actively pursuing measures to address the issue, such as referral for bail reviews, addressing lengthy detention cases, and utilizing audiovisual court appearances. However, the release or reduction of remand detainees remains solely within the purview of the courts, and the high number of remand detainees continues to strain correctional center capacity, leading to a high rate of overcrowding.
The department warns that overcrowding places additional pressure on essential services like sanitation, security, healthcare, staffing, and maintenance of minimum detention standards. Staff shortages further exacerbate the situation, with 35,646 posts filled out of an establishment of 42,492, resulting in a 16.1% vacancy rate. Despite 1,985 appointments and 1,218 promotions, the workforce has declined, particularly in the appointment of entry-level correctional officers, who were not appointed at all against an annual target of 950 trained officers.
Staffing pressures are compounded by the poor condition of correctional facilities, with only 1% rated as good and 43% classified as fair to poor. Infrastructure development, amounting to R707.7 million spent in 2025-26, has been hindered by funding limitations, contractor underperformance, payment issues, and deferred projects.
The budget for repairs and renovations has also declined by 53% over the 2024-27 expenditure framework period.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
