World Prisons
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Africa · Southern Africa

South Africa

High confidence
Verified 20 May 2026 · Data dated 26 Feb 2026
Fresh · 9d ago

Among the largest prison systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Pollsmoor, Sun City, and Kgosi Mampuru are the largest urban facilities.

Compare South AfricaWorld Prison Brief page

Data is aggregated from public sources and may be incomplete or out of date. Always verify with primary sources before acting on any figure. See data sources.

Prison population

168,672

Year: 2026

Rate per 100,000

267

Per 100,000 residents

Occupancy

157.5%

Severely overcrowded

Pre-trial / remand

37.2%

Share not yet sentenced

Female prisoners

3.5%

Foreign nationals

14.9%

Conditions risk — across 134 facilities

Average of our computed Conditions Risk Score across the country's facilities. Methodology · Browse highest-risk

31/100
national average
1 moderate133 unknown

How South Africa compares

vs Africa (6) & global averages
Rate per 100,000this: 267 · region: 182 · global: 214
Occupancy ratethis: 158% · region: 161% · global: 125%
Pre-trial sharethis: 37% · region: 34% · global: 32%

The vertical ticks mark the global (grey) and regional (amber) means. Bars are clipped at the high end for readability.

Prison population over time

Annual figures, latest survey year
2000: 171,462-9.9% over 20y2020: 154,437

Reform in South Africa

All reform →

Laws, programmes, and pilots changing how South Africa incarcerates — plus relevant research.

  • Child Justice Act diversion2010–ongoing

    juvenile · active

    South Africa's Child Justice Act 2008 (in force 2010) created a comprehensive diversion framework for children in conflict with the law, prioritising restorative justice processes, family group conferences, and community service over detention.

Prisons in South Africa

Browse all 134 →

134 facilities in our database — showing the first 24.

Aliwal North Concentration Camp

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Allandale Prison

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Barberton concentration camp

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Barberton Prison Farm

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Barberton Town Correctional Services

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Baviaanspoort Prison Farm

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Bethulie Concentration Camp

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Bhisho Child & Youth Care Centre

South Africa · Bhisho

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Bloemfontein Concentration Camp

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Brandvlei Correctional Centre

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Breakwater Lodge

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Buffeljagsrivier Correctional Centre

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Burgersdorp Correctional Centre

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Caledon Correctional Centre

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Department Correctional Services Estcourt

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Department Correctional Services Henneman

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Department of Correctional Services

South Africa · Bethulie

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Dept of Correctional Services Prison

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Devon Correctional Services

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Doornbult concentration camp

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Douglas Prison

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Drakenstein Correctional Centre

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

East London Correctional Services

South Africa · KuGompo City

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

Ebongweni Prison

South Africa

Type

—

Capacity

—

Held

—

See all 134 prisons in South Africa →

Data completeness

100%

Score based on how many fields are populated. We surface this so you know where the gaps are.

National population
63,160,0002026
Source-verified
20 May 2026
Source links
1 cited

Sources

Direct citations for the figures on this page.

Recent reports