- The Department of Correctional Services raided the Pollsmoor Correctional Centre on Wednesday, confiscating contraband.
- The operation formed part of the department's festive season clampdown in prisons.
- More than 300 cellphones were confiscated along with 21 dagga pipes, a Wi-Fi router, three smart watches and three packets of tik.
Cellphones, dagga and sharpened objects were among the contraband found during a raid at the Pollsmoor Correctional Centre in the Western Cape on Wednesday.
The raids formed part of the Department of Correctional Services' festive season security operations in prisons.
Its Emergency Support Team and 466 recruits, as part of their practical training, descended on the facility in search of contraband.
Leading the charge was the national commissioner of correctional services, Makgothi Thobakgale, who stressed the need to have disciplined officials eager to make a positive contribution to the department's rehabilitation efforts.
"This operation is part of a campaign we are rolling out throughout our correctional facilities as part of the festive season security and safety campaign. We found cellphones, chargers, sharp objects, drugs and dagga," he said.
The contraband was found at the remand detention unit at Pollsmoor.
Thobakgale said the unit had a high mobility of moving contraband because it was where detainees were either still awaiting trial or were yet to be sentenced.
More than 300 cellphones were confiscated along with 21 dagga pipes, a Wi-Fi router, three smart watches and three packets of tik.
Meanwhile, Thobakgale said a 41-year-old correctional service official and her daughter would appear in the Vanrhynsdorp Magistrate's Court on Thursday, having been charged with possession and dealing in drugs.
Members of the provincial traffic department stopped a Mazda sedan on the N7 between Vanrhynsdorp and Klawer and conducted a search which resulted in the arrest of two suspects, aged 33 and 21, who were found in possession of Mandrax valued at R51 600.
Their arrest and the subsequent investigation led various police units and provincial traffic to an address in Vanrhynsdorp where a 41-year-old female and her 20-year-old daughter were arrested.
They were found in possession of Mandrax and tik valued at more than R1.2 million as well as R17 800 in cash believed to be the proceeds of drug trafficking.
The 41-year-old suspect was identified as a correctional services official.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the four suspects were detained and made a brief court appearance in Vanrhynsdorp.
Their case was postponed to next Thursday.
Thobakgale lauded the arrest and said, "errant officials have no place in the department and the department stands ready to issue them with the orange uniform".