The sentences of almost 9,500 non-violent offenders, including former president Jacob Zuma, were remitted on 11 August. This is the third time Cyril Ramaphosa will release prisoners in an attempt to ease overcrowding in South Africa’s 243 prisons. For the past 10 years, an average of one in three prisoners has not had a bed. About one-third of the 143,000 people in prison in 2021/2 were waiting for their cases to be finalised.