The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services has expressed serious concern about the number of inmate deaths in correctional centres that continue to be classified as either “unknown” or “unnatural”, in some cases years after the deaths occurred.
Yesterday, the committee received a report from the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS) on its first-quarter performance for 2025/26, where the matter again featured prominently. This follows last week’s briefing from the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), which reported on three cases of unnatural deaths in Mangaung, Goodwood and Oudtshoorn prisons. In both Mangaung and Goodwood, investigations revealed that excessive force on the part of officials contributed to the deaths of the inmates concerned.
Committee Chairperson Ms Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng said the committee had previously flagged the problem of “unknown” deaths with the department: “Due to time constraints, the committee could not conclude its engagement with the DCS. However, we requested a full report, including details on the unknown causes of death. How is it possible that a year or two after an inmate’s death, it is still classified as unknown?” she asked.
The committee heard that the JICS Complaints Unit received 177 complaints during the quarter. Inmate-on-inmate assaults accounted for 46 complaints, while there were 29 complaints of official-on-inmate assault and 21 complaints related to attempted suicides.
JICS further reported 24 unnatural deaths during the period under review, 23 of which were classified as “unnatural other”. Gauteng recorded the highest number, with 20 cases. All were submitted by JICS’s Independent Correctional Centre Visitors (ICCVs), with post-mortem and medico-legal documents requested from DCS to allow further investigation.
The committee was told that JICS investigates all unnatural deaths, except those classified as “unnatural other” where no violence or foul play is suspected. These are cases where seemingly healthy inmates die suddenly, with the cause of death remaining undetermined.
Ms Ramolobeng said the committee was particularly interested in understanding the processes followed by JICS when investigating suicides, deaths of “unknown cause”, and those classified as “unnatural other”.
Committee Member Ms Dereleen James questioned why suicides are not routinely investigated unless foul play is suspected, while Mr Carl Niehaus raised doubts over whether all reported suicides were genuine. He stressed the need for JICS to also investigate the conditions that may have led to suicides.
During the same reporting period, DCS recorded 120 natural deaths, of which 52 were classified as “natural causes other”. Gauteng reported the highest number, with 47 such deaths.
ICCVs also handled 11 115 complaints and requests from inmates, ranging from appeals and centre conditions to requests for social worker consultations. These included 316 inmate-on-inmate assaults, 76 official-on-inmate assaults, six inmate-on-official assaults, and 12 cases of sexual assault.
The committee also heard that 3 845 remand detainees have been awaiting trial for more than two years. The Western Cape recorded the highest number, with 894 such detainees, followed by Gauteng with 357 detainees unable to afford bail of less than R1 000. The possible rollout of the bail fund project may help ease this backlog.
Ms Ramolobeng emphasised that the committee will continue to monitor the work of JICS closely and reiterated the need for greater cooperation between JICS and DCS to address systemic challenges.
Rajaa Azzakani
17 September 2025
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