Ebongweni C-Max Prison is SA’s only super-maximum security prison and is regarded as one of the most secure in the southern hemisphere. Located in Kokstad, a small town about 172km south of Durban, the prison is home to some of the country’s most dangerous criminals, including serial murderers and rapists, armed robbers, gangsters and those who killed fellow prisoners or police officers and warders. Ebongweni was officially opened by then Deputy President Jacob Zuma in 2002, with authorities saying it would bolster the fight against crime. The facility has CCTV and HD cameras and employs motion detectors, and has with the usual razor wire fences to guard its perimeters. According to information from the Department of Correctional Services, Ebongweni has space for 1,440 prisoners but currently has 922 hardened criminals, guarded by heavily armed, highly trained guards. If security were to be breached, the Kokstad police dog unit is available at a moment’s notice. There are no communa...
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