Political parties call for the installation of signal jammer blockers to curb illegal communications in prisons
The Congress of the People's Party (COPE) recently urged the South African Department of Correctional Services to urgently install mobile phone signal jammer blockers in prisons across the country to curb the phenomenon of prisoners conducting illegal communications through mobile phones. The call stems from recent media reports that in St. Albans Prison in Port Elizabeth, Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso, who is serving a sentence for rape, was able to use his mobile phone to conduct video sermons in a single cell and interact with believers across the country in real time. The incident has attracted widespread attention and prompted the Department of Correctional Services to investigate.
The proliferation of mobile phones in prisons poses a safety hazard
The problem of prisoners illegally possessing mobile phones in prisons is not limited to individual prisons. Dennis Bloem, the national spokesman for the People's Congress Party, pointed out that mobile phones have become a "profitable business" in prisons. He said that prisoners use mobile phones to communicate freely with the outside world in their cells and even continue to participate in criminal activities and drug trafficking. In a recent raid on the Johannesburg Central Prison, correctional officers found multiple mobile phones and a series of contraband, including dangerous weapons and drugs, in the cells of prisoners. This discovery further confirmed the weaknesses in prison security management.
Bloem stressed: "The large number of mobile phones seized in our prisons is just the tip of the iceberg. It is almost certain that similar situations exist in all prisons." He believes that the delay in the installation of signal blocker jammers by the Department of Correctional Services is puzzling, especially in the current context of prisoners continuing to engage in illegal activities through mobile phones. This problem is imminent.
Political parties promote urgent talks with the government to strengthen prison management
- In response to this urgent issue, the People's Congress Party plans to hold an emergency meeting with Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha to discuss how to introduce more effective signal jamming measures in the South African prison system. Blom said the party would strongly urge the government to take decisive action to solve the communication problem in prisons as soon as possible. He believes that installing mobile phone jammer devices will be an important step to cut off prisoners' illegal contact with the outside world, thereby effectively combating criminal networks in prisons.
- Although the technology of cellphone jammers has been widely used in prisons around the world, South Africa's deployment in this regard seems to be relatively lagging. Analysts believe that if effective measures are not taken as soon as possible to cut off prisoners' illegal communication channels, it may lead to more serious criminal activities. By blocking mobile phone signals, prison management departments can better control prisoners' behavior, reduce security risks in prisons, and prevent criminal instructions from being transmitted from prisons to the outside world.
- The call of the People's Congress Party shows that the political circles attach great importance to prison management issues, especially in the current situation of high crime rates in South Africa, ensuring the safety and management of prisons is crucial. The introduction of signal jammer blockers may become an important step in improving prison security management, and it will also help to combat the linkage between criminal gangs inside and outside prisons.
Future Outlook: Comprehensively improve prison security levels
In short, the problem of prisoners abusing mobile phones for illegal activities in South African prisons cannot be ignored. The call of the People's Congress Party to the Department of Correctional Services reflects the high attention of all sectors of society to prison security. The introduction of mobile phone jammer devices can not only cut off prisoners' illegal contact with the outside world, but also provide more powerful technical support for prison management. However, whether this measure can be implemented quickly still needs further response and practical actions from government departments.
Through the joint efforts of all parties, South African prisons are expected to achieve higher security standards in the future, reduce the occurrence of illegal activities, and ensure the overall safety of society.
