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The St Albans correctional facility has been thrust into the spotlight again after cable theft left parts of it in temporary darkness and added to the list of issues requiring attention.
The prison on the outskirts of Gqeberha has been battling with issues including overcrowding, its perimeter fencing being stolen and the need to tackle the challenge of illicit substances, with the latest cable theft incident adding insult to injury.
However, correctional services believes it is slowly making headway in addressing several of the issues listed by the parliamentary portfolio committee on correctional services after its oversight visit in October 2025.
Department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo confirmed that cable theft on June 12 had affected the area commissioner’s office on the west side of the prison.
This office serves as the primary regional leadership hub and enforces safety protocols while mitigating security risks within facilities.
It oversees the rehabilitation and release programmes and also manages human resources, financial budgets and facility assets.
“As a result, the office was temporarily relocated to the training centre on the east side to ensure continuity of operations.
“Procurement processes are currently under way to facilitate the replacement of the stolen infrastructure and restore the affected services in accordance with applicable government procurement procedures,” Nxumalo said.
And while the latest issue has been temporarily resolved, long-standing problems continue to persist at the facility including overcrowding, a lack of perimeter fencing and contraband inside prison walls.
National commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale, who led an unannounced search operation at St Albans on April 9, discovered several cellphones and other contraband at the facility and warned officials that aiding in the smuggling of contraband would not be tolerated.
During the October oversight, St Albans Medium B acting head of centre, Mbulelo Madikane, noted that there were 1,654 inmates at the facility, even though the “approved bed space” was 822.
“St Albans Medium B Correctional Centre currently accommodates 1,688 inmates,” Nxumalo said.
“The department continues to implement its overcrowding reduction strategy through various interventions aimed at managing inmate populations within available accommodation capacity.”
Regarding fencing, Nxumalo said an assessment had identified the need for a perimeter fence and a funding application was subsequently issued several years ago for consideration.
“The correctional centre itself was not broken into, though there have been previous incidents of unlawful entry onto the premises.
“To strengthen security, management increased patrols, deployed the emergency support team to strategic areas, and worked closely with the South African Police Service to conduct patrols along the perimeter fence and clear vegetation in high-risk areas.
“Meetings were also held with officials residing on the premises to enhance vigilance and encourage the prompt reporting of incidents,” Nxumalo said.
A Gqeberha advocate, who asked not to be named, said the facility was allegedly suffering from intermittent water supply, with inmates claiming they have had to go days without water.
However, Nxumalo denied this, saying that issues with intermittent water supply were linked to ongoing water outages throughout the metro that had subsequently affected the prison.
He said Jojo tanks were on site to ensure inmates received supply during those periods.
SA Human Rights Commission Eastern Cape provincial manager Dr Eileen Carter said access to sufficient water was a constitutionally protected right and was fundamental to dignity, health and sanitation.
“If the allegations are substantiated, they may raise concerns regarding several constitutional rights, including the right to dignity.
“Conditions of detention consistent with human dignity, access to sufficient water, and depending on the circumstances, health and bodily integrity.
“Access to adequate water and sanitation is particularly important in correctional facilities where people are entirely dependent on the state for their basic needs,” Carter said.
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