Electronic Monitoring Devices: What’s Happening?
The Department of Correctional Services is trying to get electronic monitoring devices back on track for parolees. These ankle‑bracelet style gadgets let officials know where a parolee is and can even flag drug or alcohol use.
Why the Department Wants Them
National Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale says the devices are a key tool for keeping tabs on people who have been released from prison. They help prevent re‑offending and give the community a sense of safety.
Funding and Procurement Process
The department has set aside R15 million to start buying the devices. They sent a request to the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) to continue the purchase after getting tentative approval for funding from the Integrated Justice System (IJS).
Legal Dispute with Supplier
A previous contract was cancelled because the purchase didn’t go through SITA, the required government tech buyer. Now the department is in arbitration (a legal way to settle disputes) with the original service provider while waiting for SITA to finish processing the new order.
Minister’s View on Who Should Pay
Correctional Services Minister Piet Groenewald confirmed the issue is under discussion. He added that, if he could decide, parolees would pay for their own monitoring devices. He stressed that he still respects human rights, but believes personal responsibility could help the system work better.
The Parolee Absconder Problem
When the department briefed a parliamentary committee, they revealed a worrying number of parolees who have disappeared.
Numbers of Missing Parolees
As of 29 May 2026, the department records 29,320 parolees who cannot be found. This figure includes everyone, regardless of when they were released.
Archived vs Recent Cases
More than half of those missing—15,860 people—are “archived absconders.” These are parolees released between 1991 and 2004 whose cases were marked as non‑active and kept separate from current absconder files.
Efforts to Track Them Down
Thobakgale explained that the department now tracks all parolees, not just those labelled active or inactive. Community corrections officers, the Emergency Support Team, and the South African Police Service (SAPS) work together to locate missing individuals.
Since 2021, specialised trace‑and‑track teams have been in place. Between 2021 and 2026 they logged 8,303 absconders and managed to trace 6,060 of them.
Resources and Staffing Challenges
A presentation to the committee showed that the community corrections unit is stretched thin.
Offices, Vehicles, and Officials
The department runs 234 main offices, 62 satellite offices, and 861 service points. Yet there are only 491 vehicles for 1,764 officials, of whom 933 are monitoring officers.
Workload per Officer
With a total caseload of 52,773 parolees, each officer handles about 87 cases—far above the ideal 30 cases per worker.
Recruitment Plans
To ease the load, the department plans to assign 1,500 of the 6,000 new recruits to the community corrections unit.
Looking Ahead
Goals for Electronic Monitoring
If the procurement succeeds, the devices will give officers real‑time location data and alerts for substance use, helping to supervise parolees more effectively.
Improving Community Corrections
Beyond technology, the department aims to boost staff numbers, improve vehicle allocation, and reduce the average caseload per officer. These steps should make it easier to keep track of parolees and lower the number who go missing or re‑offend.
Conclusion
The Department of Correctional Services is working to restart the purchase of electronic monitoring devices for parolees while navigating a legal dispute with a former supplier. At the same time, they are confronting a significant number of missing parolees and acknowledging that their community corrections unit lacks enough staff and resources. By securing the monitoring technology and increasing personnel, the department hopes to improve supervision, cut down on absconding, and enhance public safety.
