Prisons in South Africa

Even in the pre-apartheid era, racial factors played a major role, with white prisoners living in better conditions and receiving better treatment than their black counterparts.

During the apartheid era, cultural norms afforded the subjectivity of guilt to the assessment of the whites, which led to Black South Africans being adversely affected.

In the post-apartheid era, a number of reforms were initiated, and the irrelevant role that race had played until then was removed.

[citation needed] These include: ANC and PAC freedom fighters such as Robert Sobukwe (1960–1978), Jafta Masemola (1962–1989), Nelson Mandela (1962–1990), Raymond Mhlaba (1963–1989), Walter Sisulu (1963–1989), Govan Mbeki (1963–1987), Denis Goldberg (1963–1985), Tokyo Sexwale (1977–1990), and many others.

A notable recent inmate was Annanias Mathe, a serial killer, the only person to escape from the maximum security prison C Max in Pretoria.