The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has confiscated contraband and illegal substances during a search operation at the St Albans Correctional Centre in the Eastern Cape.
The operation was held in the early hours of Monday morning.
"This operation is part of DCS's ongoing efforts to enhance security, ensure safety, and maintain order within its facilities, and it continues to yield significant results.
"Several items of contraband and illegal substances were confiscated during the operation. These include, but are not limited to, R4 557 in cash, 16 mobile phones, 18 slopes of dagga, and 41 dagga bankies. Such items pose a serious threat to both inmates and officials, and their removal ensures a safer environment for all within the facility," the department said.
The operation - carried out by DCS Emergency Support Team in collaboration with police - also marked the start of Corrections Week.
Following the raid, DCS officials engaged community members in the area by providing food to flood victims.
"Corrections Week features a series of activities that allow the department to reflect on its crucial role in promoting a just, peaceful, and safer South Africa. This period also serves as a time to renew collective commitment to the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders. The correctional system remains an essential pillar within the broader framework of the criminal justice system.
"The observance of Corrections Week further strengthens the DCS's commitment to working alongside community organisations, NGOs, and various stakeholders in building a better South Africa for all," said the department.
READ | Corrections Week kicks off
"This week is not merely a celebration but a call to action, reminding us that we all play a role in building a just, compassionate, and inclusive society.
"It emphasises that corrections is a societal responsibility, where each individual--whether a correctional official, policymaker, community leader, or citizen--has a part to play in shaping a correctional system that reflects the country's highest values," the department said.
