The end of Public-Private Partnership Prisons in South Africa
 

Author: 

Lukas Muntingh
 

Summary:

This paper examines the issues around public-private partnership relating to prisons in the Department of Correctional Services in South Africa. South Africa has two fully privatised prisons, each housing some 3,000 prisoners. Their history has been mired in controversy from the start, and this has not improved over a period of nearly 25 years. Recent events affecting the security and integrity of the two facilities provide a useful opportunity to reflect on these private prisons as well as wider issues regarding private sector involvement in the prison system. The intersection of politics, organised labour, private sector interests, and corruption have in all likelihood rung the death knell for private prisons in South Africa. Private sector involvement in the prison system was characterised by policy flip-flopping and an apparent tension between the view of the Minister at the time and the Department of Correctional Services leadership. Plans to engage in large-scale prison construction were scaled down and ultimately abandoned. However, the Department of Correctional Services chose to engage the BOSASA group of companies in a number of contracts, despite criticism from Parliament and early findings of corruption. The Zondo Commission would ultimately make damning findings about BOSASA and high-level corruption in the Department of Correctional Services. A high profile escape and further allegations of corruption at one private prison run by G4S have further turned the tide on large scale private sector involvement in South African prisons. 


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