Prison Brief for South Africa
Print version| Country | SOUTH AFRICA | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ministry responsible | Ministry of Correctional Services | ||||||||||||||||||
| Prison administration | Department of Correctional Services | ||||||||||||||||||
| Contact address | Private Bag X136, Pretoria 0001, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||
| Telephone/fax/website | tel: +27 12 307 2249 or 307 2274 or 307 2248 fax: +27 12 307 2000 or 325 4824 or 321 2460 Web: www-dcs.pwv.gov.za |
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| Head of prison administration
(and title) |
Tom Swabihi Moyane
National Commissioner |
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| Prison population total
(including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) |
161,496
at 31.5.2010 (national prison administration) |
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| Prison population rate
(per 100,000 of national population) |
324
based on an estimated national population of 49.9 million at end of May 2010 (from Statistics South Africa figures) |
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| Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners
(percentage of prison population) |
30.4%
(31.5.2010) |
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| Female prisoners
(percentage of prison population) |
2.2%
(31.5.2010) |
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| Juveniles / minors / young prisoners
incl. definition (percentage of prison population) |
0.7%
(31.5.2010 - under 18) |
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| Foreign prisoners
(percentage of prison population) |
5.2%
(May 2010) |
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| Number of establishments /
institutions |
237
(2010) |
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| Official capacity of prison system | 118,158
(31.5.2010) |
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| Occupancy level (based on official
capacity) |
136.7%
(31.5.2010) |
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| Recent prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate) |
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Please send new or updated information to icps@kcl.ac.uk