Visiting hours at Goodwood Correctional Centre (Goodwood Prison) in Monte Vista, Cape Town, run from 09:00 to 15:00 on designated visiting days. Remand detainees (awaiting-trial inmates) generally receive visitors on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, while sentenced offenders receive visitors on Wednesdays, Thursdays, weekends, and public holidays. All visits must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance, and adult visitors must produce a valid South African ID or passport upon arrival.
Visiting Schedule and Operating Hours
Visitation at Goodwood Correctional Centre is managed according to the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) framework. Visiting days and times are split based on the inmate’s legal status and security classification.
| Inmate Category | Designated Visiting Days | Visiting Hours | Visit Type |
| Remand Detainees (Awaiting Trial) | Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays (excl. public holidays) | 09:00 – 15:00 | Non-contact (usually 30 minutes) |
| Sentenced Offenders | Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Public Holidays | 09:00 – 15:00 | Contact or Non-contact (30–60 minutes depending on classification) |
Note: Visits do not take place outside of designated operating hours. Booking slots are staggered throughout the day to manage facility capacity and security screening queues.
Visitation Privileges by Inmate Classification
The frequency and duration of visits depend on the offender’s internal security grading:
- Group A (Minimum/Medium Security): Up to 5 visits per month, lasting up to 60 minutes. Contact visits are generally permitted for this group.
- Group B (Medium Security): Up to 4 visits per month, lasting approximately 45 minutes.
- Group C (Maximum / Disciplinary Category): Up to 2 visits per month, limited to 30-minute non-contact visits through glass partitions.
- Remand Detainees: Standard allocation is 1 to 2 visits per month, typically 30 minutes each, unless granted special authorization by the Head of Centre.
How to Book a Visit
Goodwood Correctional Centre enforces a mandatory appointment system to prevent overcrowding and maintain facility security.
1. 48-Hour Advance Notice
You must book your visiting slot at least 48 hours prior to your intended arrival date. Walk-in visits are strictly turned away. Inmates can also request booking arrangements through internal correctional caseworkers.
2. Information Required for Booking
When contacting the facility or scheduling your appointment, ensure you have the following details ready:
- Full legal name and South African ID number (or passport number) of each visitor.
- The offender’s full registered name and surname.
- The offender’s DCS registration number (inmate number) or police case number.
- Preferred date and time slot.
3. Arrival and Check-In
Arrive at the main entrance gate at least 30 to 45 minutes before your scheduled appointment. This buffer time accounts for entry verification, visitor registration, locker allocation, and physical security screening.
Identification and Entry Requirements
Entry into Goodwood Correctional Centre requires strict compliance with South African statutory identification rules.
Required Documentation for Adults
Every adult visitor (16 years and older) must present an original, valid, government-issued identification document:
- Green barcoded South African ID book.
- South African Smart ID Card.
- Valid international passport (for foreign nationals).
- Official temporary ID certificate issued by the Department of Home Affairs (with photograph).
Photocopies, digital images on mobile phones, student cards, and expired driver’s licences are not accepted.
Bringing Children or Minors
- Children under the age of 16 may visit incarcerated parents or relatives, provided they are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
- The accompanying guardian must bring the child’s unabridged birth certificate or valid identification document.
- Minors count toward the maximum allowable visitor limit per session (typically up to two visitors per inmate at a time).
Security Protocols, Searches, and Dress Code
Goodwood Correctional Centre operates under strict national correctional security standards. All individuals entering the facility grounds are subject to search and surveillance.
Security Screening Process
- Main Gate Registration: You will log your personal details, verify your booking, and receive a numbered visitor badge that must remain visible at all times.
- Physical and Electronic Search: Visitors must pass through metal detectors and undergo physical body searches conducted by correctional officers of the same gender.
- Locker Storage: Personal items not permitted inside the visiting area must be locked in designated lockers at the main entrance gate.
Facility Dress Code
Visitors must dress in neat, modest, and respectable clothing. Entry will be denied to anyone wearing:
- Revealing, transparent, or excessively short clothing (e.g., crop tops, low-cut tops, micro-skirts, or short shorts).
- Clothing resembling correctional official uniforms, military fatigues, or South African Police Service (SAPS) uniforms (including camouflage patterns and brown/khaki uniform shirts).
- Gang-related emblems, offensive slogans, or bandana headwear.
- Full-face coverings (except approved religious headwear or medical masks where designated).
- Hats or sunglasses inside the visiting hall (unless medically or culturally justified).
Prohibited Items
The following items are strictly forbidden inside the visiting area:
- Cell phones, smartwatches, cameras, tablets, and recording devices.
- Firearms, knives, ammunition, or sharp metallic objects.
- Alcohol, tobacco, electronic cigarettes, matches, lighters, and illicit substances.
- Unauthorized cash, cheques, and financial cards.
- Home-cooked meals, open drinks, or uninspected food packages (unless pre-authorized under specific medical or religious exemptions).
Location and Contact Information
Goodwood Correctional Centre is located in the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town, adjacent to the Monte Vista and Edgemead areas.
- Physical Address: Goodwood Management Area, Peninsula Drive, Monte Vista, Cape Town, Western Cape, 7460
- Postal Address: Private Bag X4, Edgemead, 7407
- Switchboard Telephone: 021 559 3500
- Administration Line: 021 559 9115
- Fax: 021 559 3515
- Management Jurisdiction: Department of Correctional Services – Western Cape Region
Directions and Transport Access
- By Car: Accessible via the N1 highway taking the Monte Vista Boulevard or Wingfield off-ramps toward Peninsula Drive. On-site visitor parking is available outside the main perimeter entrance.
- By Public Transport: Minibus taxis and buses operating along Voortrekker Road and the Monte Vista rail corridor provide connecting routes within walking distance of the facility perimeter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do visiting hours start and end at Goodwood Correctional Centre?
Visiting sessions take place between 09:00 and 15:00 on designated visitation days. Remand detainees are allocated Monday, Tuesday, and Friday slots, while sentenced offenders receive visits on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. Visitors must arrive 30 to 45 minutes prior to their booked time for processing.
How far in advance do I need to book a visit at Goodwood Prison?
You must book your visitation appointment at least 48 hours before the intended date. Bookings can be arranged by calling the Goodwood Correctional Centre administration desk or via internal inmate visit requests. Walk-in visits without prior booking confirmation are not permitted.
What documents do I need to bring for prison visitation?
Adult visitors must present an original, valid South African Green Barcoded ID, Smart ID Card, or a valid foreign passport. For minors, the accompanying parent or legal guardian must provide the child’s birth certificate or official ID. You must also supply the inmate’s full name and correctional registration number.
Can children visit inmates at Goodwood Correctional Centre?
Yes, children under 18 years of age may visit inmates, provided they are accompanied at all times by a parent or legal guardian. The accompanying adult must carry the child’s birth certificate. Children count toward the total allowable number of visitors per session (maximum of two visitors per inmate).
Are contact visits permitted at Goodwood Prison?
Contact visits depend entirely on the inmate’s internal security grading. Sentenced offenders classified under Group A (and selected Group B inmates) are generally allowed contact visits in the communal visiting hall. Remand detainees, maximum-security inmates, and Group C offenders are restricted to non-contact visits through glass barriers.
Can I bring food, money, or clothing parcels to an inmate during a visit?
Outside food, cooked meals, and direct cash handovers are strictly prohibited in the visiting hall. Visitors may purchase snacks and approved items directly from the official prison tuckshop for consumption during the visit. Clothing parcels, toiletries, or funds for an inmate’s prison account must be submitted and processed separately through the designated admissions and property desk at the main reception.