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Correctional Services Act No. 111 of 1998

Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional ServicesRef: http://www.jics.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CORRECTIONAL-SERVICES-ACT-111-of-1998.pdf

Official source

Source domain: jics.gov.za

Collected on 13 July 2026

Always confirm details on the official source before acting.

Our copy (archived 14 July 2026)Official source

What this means

The document is the South African Correctional Services Act No. 111 of 1998. It sets out the correctional system, including the Department of Correctional Services’ establishment, functions and control, custody of offenders under conditions of human dignity, and the rights and obligations of sentenced and unsentenced offenders. It also provides for community corrections, release and placement under correctional supervision (including day parole and parole), oversight bodies (including a National Council for Correctional Services and a Judicial Inspectorate), independent correctional centre visitors, compliance management, public-private partnership correctional centres, offences and penalties, and related matters. The text also notes amendments and commencement (assented to 19 November 1998; commencement 31 July 2004) and includes general notes on terminology substitutions introduced by the Correctional Services Amendment Act No. 25 of 2008.

Facts

Reference

http://www.jics.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CORRECTIONAL-SERVICES-ACT-111-of-1998.pdf

Parties

President (signing authority

Key Takeaways

  • Act: Correctional Services Act No. 111 of 1998
  • Assented to: 19 November 1998
  • Commencement date: 31 July 2004
  • Updated to: Government Gazette 38377 dated 5 January 2015
  • Amendments referenced: Correctional Services Amendment Act No. 32 of 2001; Institution of Legal Proceedings against certain Organs of State Act No. 40 of 2002; Judicial Matters Amendment Act No. 55 of 2002; Correctional Services Amendment Act No. 25 of 2008; Child Justice Act No. 75 of 2008; Correctional Matters Amendment Act No. 5 of 2011
  • General note: s. 86(a) and s. 86(b) of Act No. 25 of 2008 substitute terminology (e.g., “Area Manager/Commissioner/Head of Prison” to “National Commissioner/Head of the Correctional Centre”, and “prisoner” to “inmate” or “sentenced offender” depending on sections)
  • Purpose: correctional system; Department of Correctional Services; human dignity custody; rights/obligations of sentenced and unsentenced offenders; community corrections; release and supervision (day parole/parole); oversight and visitors; compliance management; public-private partnership correctional centres; offences/penalties; repeal/amendment of laws
  • Department of Correctional Services
  • National Commissioner
  • Head of the Correctional Centre
  • Regional Commissioner
  • Inspecting Judge
  • Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services
  • Independent Correctional Centre Visitors
  • National Council for Correctional Services
  • Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards
  • Correctional Supervision and Parole Review Board
  • South African Police Service
  • President (signing authority for English text)
  • Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996)