George is in the Western Cape, on the Garden Route.
Correctional Services does not publish individual centre numbers centrally. The national switchboard below can route you to a specific correctional centre, and it is the reliable way to reach one.
Have the offender’s full name, date of birth and admission number before you phone. Staff cannot search on a name alone, and most centres will not confirm whether a person is held there without identifying details.
This page covers how to contact the Department of Correctional Services in South Africa. The details below were taken from the official Department of Correctional Services contact page rather than from any third-party directory.
ContactDetails.co.za is an independent directory. We are not the Department of Correctional Services and cannot act on your behalf. Everything on this page is a routing aid so you reach the right official channel quickly.
The Department of Correctional Services contact numbers
These routes were verified against the official Department of Correctional Services contact page on 22 August 2026. Contact numbers do change, so confirm on the official page before relying on one for anything urgent.
| What it is for | Contact |
|---|---|
| National switchboard | 012 307 2998 |
| National switchboard, alternate | 012 307 2999 |
| Presidential Hotline | 17737 |
The head office is the Poyntons Building, West Block, Pretoria, 0001. The postal address is Private Bag X136, Pretoria, 0001.
Correctional Services does not publish individual centre numbers centrally. Visits, parole enquiries and offender queries are handled by the correctional centre itself, and the national switchboard can route you to the right one. Have the offender’s full name, date of birth and admission number ready, because staff cannot search on a name alone.
Self-service options before you call
- Check the official site at dcs.gov.za, which carries the current contact details and any online enquiry form.
- Calling outside peak times. Monday mornings and the hour after 17:00 are usually the worst for South African contact centres.
What to have ready before you call
- A clear one line summary of what you need resolved.
- Your account, order or reference number if you already have one.
- The identity document or account holder details, since most South African providers verify who you are before discussing an account.
- Dates, amounts and any error message exactly as it appeared.
- A pen and paper for the reference number. Ask for one every time, because without it a follow up call starts from nothing.
Visiting a correctional centre
- Have the offender’s full name, date of birth and admission number. Staff cannot search on a name alone, and most centres will not confirm whether a person is held there without them.
- Visits are booked, not walked into. Each centre sets its own days, times and slot system, and identification is required for every visitor including children.
- Maximum security restricts visits far more tightly, and contact visits may not be permitted at all. Assume nothing that applies at an ordinary centre applies there.
- Goods and money follow defined channels only. Deposits into an offender’s account are made through the centre’s own process, and taking items in outside it is an offence for the visitor.
- Dress and search rules are enforced, and visitors are turned away for breaching them after travelling a long way.
If a transfer has taken place, the receiving centre holds the offender and the sending centre cannot arrange a visit. Confirm the current centre before travelling.
Complaints and escalation
If a first call does not resolve the matter, escalate through the head of the correctional centre, in writing. Complaints about treatment, conditions or officials go to the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services, which is independent of the department and has independent correctional centre visitors at each facility.
Keep a short written log of each contact: the date, the channel you used, the name of the agent and the reference number. Most correctional services complaint processes ask for exactly that history, and having it ready is usually the difference between a fast resolution and starting over.
Avoiding fake Department of Correctional Services contact numbers
Contact details for well known South African brands are a common target for impersonation. Numbers that look official appear in search ads, social media replies and cloned websites, and the person answering is not the Department of Correctional Services.
- Reach Department of Correctional Services through the official site at dcs.gov.za rather than through a number in a search advert or a social media reply.
- The Department of Correctional Services will never ask you for your full card number, PIN, CVV, online banking password or a one time PIN. Nobody legitimate needs those to help you.
- Treat any caller who creates urgency, asks you to install remote access software, or asks you to move money to a safe account as fraudulent, and end the call.
- If you are unsure whether a call was genuine, hang up and dial the official number yourself rather than calling back a number the caller gave you.
Related contact pages
Frequently asked questions
What is the Department of Correctional Services contact number?
The routes are listed in the table above, with what each one is for. The main route is 012 307 2998. Confirm it on dcs.gov.za before relying on it, since numbers are changed from time to time.
How do I know a Department of Correctional Services number is genuine?
Check it against the official site at dcs.gov.za. A number that only appears in a search advert, a social media reply or a third-party directory should not be trusted for anything involving your account, your money or your identity document.
What should I do if nobody resolves my query?
Ask for the complaint reference and the escalation path on your first call, then follow the escalation route described above. Keep the dates, agent names and reference numbers, because every formal complaint process will ask for them.
Can ContactDetails.co.za resolve this for me?
No. We are an independent directory, not the Department of Correctional Services, and we have no access to your account. Everything here is a routing aid so that you reach the correct official channel with the right information in hand.
Is there a cost to calling these numbers?
South African 0860 and 0861 numbers are charged at a share-call or standard rate depending on your provider, and 0800 numbers are toll free from a landline. Calls from a mobile are billed at your own operator’s rate, so check your plan if cost matters.
Contact routes on this page were checked against the official Department of Correctional Services source on 22 August 2026. If you find a detail that has changed, the official source is always the authority.