The Muslim Prison Board (KZN) was formed in 1983. The Board is recognized by the authorities and supported by the Ulema and many diverse Muslim organizations.
The Board works with the Department of Correctional Services to increase services to Muslim inmates. Some services provided:
- Appointing religious workers to teach Islam to Muslim prisoners
- Giving Sehri and Iftaar to prisoners in Ramadaan
- Distributing Islamic literature, Musallas, etc. free
- After-care services for inmates’ families
- Facilitation of Halaal meals in prison
- Islamic counseling of inmates and their families
- Arranging Salaah facilities in prisons
The MPB is affiliated to the National Muslim Prison Board under which operate the Boards of Gauteng, KZN, Western Cape and the Eastern Cape. The Finance and Welfare Dept is handled by SANZAF and Secretarial and Spiritual Affairs by the Jamiatul Ulama (KZN).
The Eastern Cape branch of the Muslim Prison Board was revived on 19 November 2005 and Mufti Siraj Desai was elected Chairman. This branch has the support of Muslim organizations like SANZAF, the Eastern Cape Islamic Congress, the Council of Ulama Eastern Cape and PE Darul-Uloom. It caters for Muslim inmates at St Albans Prison in PE as well as other prisons in the Eastern Cape. A spiritual care worker goes daily to the prison to hold Islamic classes. They also arrange special Ramadaan programs as well as the Halaal issue of the food in prison.
Allah helps a person so long as that person is in the service of his brother (Sahih Muslim)
