Are cellphone signal blockers coming to Pollsmoor?

by | Sep 22, 2025

Cape Town Mayor has urged the national government to deploy cellphone signal-blocking technology at Pollsmoor prison, citing mounting evidence that criminal networks continue to operate from behind bars.

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Cape Town Mayor has urged the national government to deploy cellphone signal-blocking technology at Pollsmoor prison, citing mounting evidence that criminal networks continue to operate from behind bars.

In a letter to FF+ Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald, the mayor reports that extortion rackets and threats against contractors are being orchestrated by inmates using illicit phones.

The Mayor argued that incarceration alone is insufficient if prisoners retain the means to coordinate outside operations. He offered municipal support for a pilot of signal-jamming technology at Pollsmoor, alongside intelligence-sharing and logistical assistance.

Groenewald has pledged to intensify prison raids targeting contraband cellphones and to explore technology to disrupt communications by organised crime figures.

All this is part of a broader frustration with South Africa’s criminal justice system. Alderman JP Smith warned that problems in parole processes and weak conviction rates allow offenders to return quickly to the streets.

The City of Cape Town would like to reform the criminal justice system. This includes devolving investigative powers to municipal officers to improve prosecution outcomes, particularly in cases involving gangs, drugs, firearms, and extortion.

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Independent news and opinion from the Cape of Good Hope for readers who value good old common sense. We focus on what really matters in South Africa.

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