In a joint operation aimed at reinforcing safety and security, members of the Barberton Emergency Support Team, together with the SAPS conducted an unannounced search at the Nelspruit Correctional Centre on Monday, June 15.

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The team was led by the acting area co-ordinator for corrections, Thabang Nyakane. The operation forms part of the Barberton management area’s broader commitment to eradicating contraband and ensuring that correctional facilities remain secure, orderly, and conducive to rehabilitation.

This intervention aligns with the Department of Correctional Services’ national strategy to restore order and prioritise public safety within all correctional centres.

According to the Barberton management area’s spokesperson, Opheliah Motlou, the presence of cellphones and narcotics in correctional facilities remains a significant security concern, as such contraband can facilitate criminal activity, gang co-ordination, witness intimidation and the disruption of rehabilitation programmes.

“When inmates gain unauthorised access to communication devices, they can continue to manage criminal enterprises from behind bars, undermining the very purpose of incarceration,” she explained.

Motlou said the operation yielded substantial results and demonstrated the effectiveness of interagency collaboration.

Among the items seized were 39 cellphones, two pokes and 80 slopes of dagga, 31 cellphone accessories, four cellphone batteries, seven SIM cards, 19 chargers, one set of earpods, an AUX cable, a bank card and R38.70 in cash.

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She addad that each item seized represents a potential threat removed from the correctional environment.

According to her, cellphones undermine security by enabling inmates to communicate with criminal networks beyond the walls of the facility, while narcotics contribute to violence, debt and gangsterism within correctional centres.