More than 100,000 cellphones are smuggled into prisons by guards, the Madlanga Commission hears, with witnesses describing contraband as a major driver of illicit activity inside correctional centres. The commission’s testimony links the flow of phones to how inmates communicate with people outside, supporting criminal conduct from within prison.
Outlets report that witnesses describe an “illicit prison economy” in which contraband circulation strengthens networks between incarcerated offenders and criminal groups outside. The reporting focuses on contraband’s role in sustaining wrongdoing inside facilities rather than on a single incident, and it presents the cellphone figure as part of the wider challenge of illegal goods moving through prisons.
While the articles reflect the commission’s broader inquiry into prison corruption and security failures, they generally align on the scale of cellphone smuggling and on the asserted impact on criminal activity. Details about individual cases, the identity of accused parties, or the commission’s next steps are not specified in the provided extracts.
