Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has called for urgent action to curb the rise in criminal activities being coordinated from within Pollsmoor Prison.
In a formal letter to Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald this week, the mayor advocated for the immediate implementation of cellphone signal-blocking technology at the correctional facility.
Smuggling mobile phones
The move follows growing reports that inmates are using smuggled mobile phones to orchestrate serious crimes, including extortion.
One recent case involved a roads project in Bishop Lavis, which was abandoned after a contractor received extortion threats from an inmate linked to the criminal underworld.
“We must do more than just jail criminals; we have to prevent their ability to coordinate crime from within prisons,” Hill-Lewis stated.
The City of Cape Town has offered full support for piloting advanced signal-jamming technology at Pollsmoor, including technical assistance, intelligence-sharing, and public awareness campaigns.
Hill-Lewis welcomed the Minister’s commitment to address the issue, alongside plans to intensify raids for contraband cellphones.
In response, Minister Groenewald confirmed that comprehensive measures are being developed to combat illegal activities inside South Africa’s prisons.
‘Broken criminal system’
The City has also expressed growing concern over systemic issues within the parole system, which often sees repeat offenders re-enter communities without facing proper consequences.
“City officers regularly encounter parolees committing new offences.
“The broken criminal justice system continues to fail communities,” said Mayco Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
Smith reiterated the need for parole reform and proposed devolving investigative powers to municipal officers to help build prosecution-ready cases, particularly in gang-related and extortion crimes.
The developments come amid increasing pressure on authorities to strengthen prison security and protect communities from organized crime operating from behind bars.
