Goodwood prison has zero drug dogs as contraband scandal deepens

Goodwood prison in Cape Town still has no drug-sniffing dogs.

Correctional Services sent four narcotics dogs to Grootvlei prison instead. Goodwood remains without a single one.

The failure came under scrutiny at the NCOP Select Committee on Security and Justice on Wednesday, 28 October 2026.

DA MP Nicholas Gotsell questioned the department's K9 procurement and allocation. He also raised concerns about value for money.

"Then a matter that's very close to my heart, as you know, Chairperson, is K9 procurement, especially when it comes to value for money. Dogs are force multipliers, and the AG's report highlights significant irregular and wasteful expenditure.

"I did ask questions to the minister, and I do know that there are currently no narcotics dogs, for example, in the Goodwood prison, even though he promised that these would be procured.

"I'd like to know whether the AG has examined whether DCS is prioritising cost-effective security measures, such as narcotics dogs, specifically in Goodwood, and whether you have audited the procurement and the allocation of these dogs, including resources that were specifically earmarked for Goodwood, but also Mangaung in the Free State," Gotsell said.

The department's own figures confirm the shortage.

In a written parliamentary reply in September, it disclosed that Goodwood had no narcotics dogs. Pollsmoor had two. Four narcotics dogs had been sent to Grootvlei.

The department said it was procuring more dogs. Deliveries to Goodwood and other management areas were expected in December 2026.

However, the dogs would need time to settle in with their handlers before becoming operational.

The latest disclosure raises questions about promises made to Parliament in December 2025.

At the time, the department said it had bought seven dogs, including four narcotics dogs. It also said Goodwood and Pollsmoor would receive more dogs during the 2026/27 financial year.

Gotsell also raised the arrest of a Goodwood prison warden caught with contraband.

"And then finally, Chairperson, the recent drug smuggling case in Goodwood, where a warden was caught with a very, very large amount of contraband.

"I would like to know from the AG, given your findings about weak internal controls and your slides on consequence management, have you examined whether the department has effective controls to prevent staff from bringing drugs and other contraband into Correctional Services? And does your audit establish whether money spent on prison security is actually delivering measurable improvements, or are you principally auditing financial compliance?" he said.

A 47-year-old Goodwood warden was arrested on 12 August at a roadblock at the prison.

Police said they found drugs worth about R65,000 and 23 cellphones in his vehicle.

The operation involved the SAPS Anti-Gang Unit and the department's Emergency Support Team.

But the Auditor-General has not examined whether Goodwood's missing narcotics dogs are affecting prison security.

Michelle Magerman, business unit leader at the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA), said the K9 units were not included in this year's audit.

"In terms of the K9 dogs in Goodwood and the effectiveness of that, we have not necessarily audited that. It was not part of our sample for the year that we are auditing, but we can look at it in the 2026-27 financial year audit.

"I also take note of the K9 units as well as some of the concerns around the security controls, the effectiveness of that. We can see from the expenditure side, from the financial perspective, whether it is something that we can zoom into in the new financial year as well. So I do take note of those three areas that concern the committee that we would not have covered in the year that we've audited," Magerman said.

The Auditor-General told the committee that the department's controls had failed to prevent significant unauthorised, irregular, and fruitless and wasteful expenditure from recurring.

Goodwood has no narcotics dogs. Four were sent elsewhere. A prison warden was arrested with drugs and cellphones.

Yet the effectiveness of the department's K9 security arrangements has not been audited.

The issue may only receive scrutiny in the next financial year.