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South Africa
Capital city —
Pretoria
Country population
59,308,690
i
2020
/
World Bank
Incarceration rate (per 100,000 inhabit…
248
i
2020
/
World Prison Brief, ICPR
Type of government
Parliamentary Republic
Human Development Index
0.709
(114/188)
i
2019
/
UNDP, Human Development Report
Homicide rate (per 100,000 inhabitants)
36.4
i
2018
/
UNDP, Human Development Report
Name of authority in charge of the pris…
Ministry of Justice
Total number of prisoners
147,922
i
2020
/
World Prison Brief, ICPR
Prison density
125 %
i
2020
/
World Prison Brief, ICPR
Total number of prison facilities
235
i
2019
/
World Prison Brief, ICPR
An NPM has been established
yes, since 2019
Female prisoners
2.6 %
i
2020
/
World Prison Brief, ICPR
Incarcerated minors
0.1 %
i
2019
/
World Prison Brief, ICPR
Percentage of untried prisoners
35.7 %
i
06/2020
/
World Prison Brief, ICPR
Death penalty is abolished
yes, since 1997
+
Country-profile
Seen in the press
Testimonials
Interviews
Year
2021
2024
2023
2021
2017
Introduction
Overview
Prison population
Organisation
Prison facilities
Safeguards
National Preventive Mechanisms and other external control bodies
Special populations
Women
Minors
Untried prisoners
Death penalty prisoners
Print
Overview
Prison population
Incarceration rate (per 100,000 inhabitants)
248
i
2020
/
World Prison Brief, ICPR
Total number of prisoners
147,922
i
2020
/
World Prison Brief, ICPR
Prison density
125 %
i
2020
/
World Prison Brief, ICPR
Name of authority in charge of the prison service
Ministry of Justice
Total number of prison facilities
235
i
2019
/
World Prison Brief, ICPR
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