Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS) says using cellphones in prison is an illegal and punishable offence, after videos of inmates who live stream on social media emerged.
This comes after Action Society’s Ian Cameron said he received several reports about inmates live streaming on platforms such as TikTok.
The videos shared by Cameron show inmates dressed in Correctional Services uniform, in what appears to be a prison cell.
The live stream doesn’t show their faces; only their conversations are recorded. It also shows messages coming in from online followers interacting with the inmates through the live stream.
JICS spokesperson Emerantia Cupido said the possession of a cellphone by an inmate was illegal and punishable by law, but did not confirm if the state organ was aware of the videos and if the social media pages which were streaming were under investigation.
However, she said the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) conducts regular checks for illegal items in prison cells.
Cupido said: “The DCS conducts spot checks and searches to combat the smuggling and usage of contraband items. It is important to note that illegal access to and use of cellphones is a punishable offence.”
She said these items were banned to prevent inmates from planning their escape or engaging in further illegal activities.
Cupido also said the JICS was addressing the matter of defective telephone lines at correctional facilities.
“The JICS recognises that addressing the problem of defective telephone lines aligns with its core mandate. By improving communication systems within correctional centres, inmates will have better access to communication with their loved ones. This, in turn, reduces the demand for smuggling cell phones as effective communication channels are readily available,” he said.
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