South Africa

Capital city — Pretoria

Country population
56,300,000
Incarceration rate (per 100,000 inhabit…
286
i
31/03/2017
/ ICPR
Type of government
Parliamentary republic
Human Development Index
0.666
i
2016
/ UNDP
Name of authority in charge of the pris…
Ministry of Justice
Total number of prisoners
161,054
i
31/03/2017
/ ICPR
Prison density
135 %
i
2017
/ Department of Correctional Services
Total number of prison facilities
237
i
2017
An NPM has been established
No
Female prisoners
2.6 %
i
2017
/ Department of Correctional Services
Percentage of untried prisoners
27.2 %
i
2017
/ Department of Correctional Services
Death penalty is abolished
yes
since 1997

Contributor(s)Derrick Thulani & Sasha Gear (Just Detention International)

Improve prison conditions and reduce prison overcrowding.
Reduce discrimination, particularly towards Black and/or poor people.
Provide all prisoners with real access to education, vocational training and/or work.
Improve access to prison medical care by increasing the number of medical centres, dedicated staff and the provision of medicines.
Reduce remand detention.