Durban - Two journalists were arrested at Durban's Westville Prison over the weekend after allegedly claiming to be relatives of an inmate, the correctional services department said on Thursday.
"The two journalists, whose names and institution will not be named and shamed at this stage, pretended to be relatives of the inmate and were caught conducting interviews with an offender," the department said in a statement.
It did not say which prisoner they were visiting.
The two were handed to police. They allegedly contravened the Correctional Services Act, which prohibits unauthorised publication, false representations and profiteering from the publication of crimes for which offenders are serving sentences.
One of the journalists told Sapa she could not comment.
Police spokesman Major Thulani Zwane said: "The two suspects, Taschica Ramlackan and Suthentira Kaissri were charged under Section 122 of the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998. They did not disclose to correctional service officials that they were journalists and had entered the correctional service under false pretences to seek an interview with a convicted person."
They appeared in the Pinetown Magistrate's Court on Monday and were released on R500 bail each.
Sapa