City and national leaders push for cell phone signal blocking in prisons to stop inmates from coordinating crimes and keep communities safe. Image: Geordin Hill-Lewis/Facebook.
(The Post News) – Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis is calling for urgent action to stop inmates at Pollsmoor Prison from using mobile phones to direct criminal activity, highlighting the need for cell phone signal blocking in prisons.Â
Cellphone Signal Blocking in Prisons: Mayor Hill-Lewis’s Call to Action
Meanwhile, his appeal comes as the national government prepares to roll out technology aimed at cell phone signal blocking in prisons inside correctional facilities.
Pollsmoor is one of five prisons selected for a pilot project that will test signal-jamming systems. The initiative, announced last year by Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald, is expected to be in place by the end of this year. According to reports, Hill-Lewis recently reached out to the minister, expressing concern that extortion and other crimes are being coordinated from inside Pollsmoor.
Mayor Hill-Lewis was asked for comment, but no response was received by publication time. He shared examples from city projects, for instance, a roadworks site in Bishop Lavis where a contractor reportedly abandoned the job after receiving threats linked to someone behind bars.
According to Hill-Lewis, the issue goes beyond locking people up. He believes it is just as important to prevent inmates from continuing criminal operations while serving time. He has offered the City’s full support to help implement the technology and welcomed national efforts toward cell phone signal blocking in prisons to crack down on illegal communication.
Cellphone Signal Blocking in Prisons: Government and Police Efforts
In addition, Groenewald has committed to increasing searches for contraband, including smuggled phones. His department is also working with police to track patterns of criminal behaviour and share intelligence that could help disrupt these networks.
Cape Town’s safety and security lead, JP Smith, added that parolees often reoffend and that suspects are frequently released due to weak prosecutions. Therefore, he is pushing for changes to the parole system and wants local officers to be given more investigative powers to help build stronger cases, particularly in gang and extortion-related crimes.
Cape Argus reported that the Department of Correctional Services confirmed that targeted search operations are already underway. Officials are working closely with police to respond quickly when cellphone-linked criminal activity is detected.
Furthermore, the minister’s office encouraged the public to report any information that could help stop the misuse of phones in prisons.
Ultimately, as the pilot project moves forward, both city and national leaders agree that cutting off illegal communication from inside prison walls through cell phone signal blocking in prisons is a necessary step in protecting communities and restoring trust in the justice system.
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