Fowl play — St Albans prison chicken project ‘used to smuggle drugs, contraband’

A poultry project at St Albans Correctional Facility in Gqeberha, designed to equip inmates with skills to rebuild their lives after prison, has allegedly been used as a gateway to smuggle contraband into the institution.

The Department of Correctional Services said on Monday that officials uncovered a stash of illicit items hidden at the facility’s chicken project during a surprise security operation.

The raid was part of an ongoing crackdown under the department’s stabilisation plan, aimed at stamping out contraband smuggling, criminal activity and unauthorised access to correctional facilities.

During the search at the chicken project — an agricultural rehabilitation initiative intended to equip inmates with farming skills — officials focused on areas near the chicken cages that had been identified as potential security risks.

The haul of drugs and contraband concealed between the chickens included 340 Mandrax tablets, cannabis, a cellphone charger, four USB cables and three large empty bags containing more than 150 smaller packets commonly used for drug distribution.

In a separate incident, members of the Emergency Support Team (EST) arrested a 19-year-old trespasser who had donned an EST-branded shirt, giving the appearance of being a Correctional Services official, near the chicken project.

Officials conducting routine patrols noticed the suspect loitering in dense vegetation in an area off-limits to unauthorised persons, said the department.

A search uncovered 28 small balls of dagga and a tik pipe. Officials later established that the suspect had no affiliation with the department and was not authorised to possess departmental clothing.

The suspect and the confiscated items were handed over to the South African Police Service, and he was arrested on charges of trespassing and possession of illegal substances, the department said in a statement.

In 2019, warders at St Albans were investigated after about 5,000 chickens went missing from a farm inside the prison grounds.

‘Intelligence-driven operations’

A spokesperson for the Department of Correctional Services, Singabakho Nxumalo, rejected suggestions that the recovery of contraband in prisons was indicative of inadequate security controls.

“On the contrary, the discovery and confiscation of these items demonstrate that the security measures and intelligence-driven operations implemented by the department are yielding positive results.

“The department has, over a period of time, intercepted and confiscated various forms of contraband across correctional centres nationwide. These include items thrown over perimeter fences, concealed in agricultural areas, hidden within production sites such as chicken projects, and introduced through other illicit means.

“The successful detection and removal of these items before they can be used or distributed within correctional facilities illustrate the effectiveness of the department’s security interventions,” said Nxumalo.

He said the focus was not only on removing contraband once it is detected, but also on preventing prohibited items from entering correctional centres in the first place.

Nxumalo would not be drawn into commenting on the security measures implemented to deter similar incidents from happening again.

“What can be stated is that significant progress is being registered not only within the St Albans management area but across correctional facilities nationally, with ongoing efforts aimed at further enhancing security and reducing opportunities for the introduction of contraband,” he said.

Increased raids and more seizures

In his May budget vote, Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald highlighted a massive surge in prison raids over the last financial year, with operations climbing to 1,406 from the previous year’s 466.

During these raids, authorities seized 37,500 cellphones.

“During the December-January holiday period alone, officials carried out searches across correctional facilities nationwide, confiscating over 8,000 cellphones, R102,700 in cash, and numerous other illegal items,” said Groenewald.

The issue of illegally smuggled cellphones in prisons, particularly in the Eastern Cape, has become increasingly topical over the past two years.

Several high-profile murders have allegedly been orchestrated from behind bars using contraband mobile phones, including the killing of Gqeberha prosecutor Tracy Brown.

Convicted murderer Mzukisi Ndamase is also alleged to have coordinated several violent crimes — including a mass shooting in Lusikisiki in 2024, in which 18 people were killed — through communications conducted on an illicit cellphone while incarcerated.

Groenewald has previously said that plans are being considered to acquire technology to block cellphone signals in prisons.

The minister had set his sights on rolling out the project at at least five prisons, including St Albans and Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town.

Approached for comment on Tuesday, Groenewald, through his spokesperson Euné Wessels, said while signal jamming had been considered, legislative and regulatory hurdles, costs and potential impacts on surrounding communities severely limited the viability of this.

Phased transition

“As announced by the minister, the department is implementing a phased transition to two-way radio systems for officials as part of its strategy to create cellphone-free correctional facilities. Officials will be required to leave their personal cellphones at designated access points before entering secure areas.

“While some facilities already have signal-detection technology in place, the challenge requires a multi-pronged approach. The department therefore also encourages communities to report cellphone activity in correctional facilities. Public information can play an important role in helping the department identify and disrupt unlawful communication networks,” said Wessels.

A February 2025 Department of Correctional Services report on prison contraband revealed that the Eastern Cape recorded the highest number of confiscated cellphones between January 2024 and January 2025, with 10,639 devices seized. Gauteng followed with 8,793 confiscations, while KwaZulu-Natal recorded 7,117.

The report also showed significant drug seizures in South Africa’s prisons. Between January 2024 and January 2025, authorities confiscated 548kg of drugs in Western Cape prisons, 313kg in KwaZulu-Natal prisons and 270kg in Eastern Cape prisons.

Prison staff implicated

Groenewald revealed in May that 137 Correctional Services staff members had been implicated in smuggling contraband. Responding to a parliamentary question from EFF MP Nontando Nolutshungu, Groenewald noted that the illicit items included cellphones and drugs.

“Let me be clear: we are effectively purging our prisons of illegal activities. Those involved in smuggling should understand that their days are numbered. Failure to confront those who betray their duties endangers the many honourable officials working in dangerous conditions,” said Groenwald during the budget vote earlier in May.

He said 2,388 Correctional Services officials were subjected to disciplinary hearings, of which 2,138 cases had been finalised. DM