'Not enough to just jail criminals': CPT Mayor calls for blocking of cellphone signal at Pollsmoor

It's known that some high-profile inmates in our prison system, and even it seems inmates lower down on the feeding chain, are able to arrange crimes from inside by getting access to cellphones.

The Mayor of Cape Town placed the spotlight on the issue this week, writing to Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald to highlight concerns that criminal activities are being coordinated in this way from within Pollsmoor Prison, located in Tokai.

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Geordin Hill-Lewis called for the introduction of cellphone signal-blocking technology at the maximum security prison.

He says the City has received various reports that crime and extortion activity is being coordinated by phone from within the walls of Pollsmoor.

"On a recent roads project inspection in Bishop Lavis, I was informed that the contractor had left the site due to extortion threats made by phone call from an underworld figure inside Pollsmoor."

Geordin Hill-Lewis, Mayor of Cape Town

"This shows we must do more than just jail criminals, we have to prevent their ability to coordinate crime from within prisons."

Geordin Hill-Lewis, Mayor of Cape Town

The Mayor offered the City’s support in various ways, including intelligence-sharing to identify patterns of criminal activity emanating from Pollsmoor.

He said they are also able to provide technical and logistical support to install signal-blocking technology.

The City also continues to raise concerns about flaws in the parole system, which enable repeat offenders 'to continue terrorising communities'.

"We continue to call for reforms to the early parole system, and for criminal investigative powers to be devolved to our municipal officers to help SAPS gain more convictions by building prosecution-ready case dockets, especially for gang, gun, drug and extortion-related crime."

JP Smith, Mayco Member for Safety and Security - CoCT

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