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This paper examines the costs, benefits, accountability, and human rights implications of private against public prisons in South Africa. The rationale is to determine which investment model between the two (public and private) is most economically viable as expressed in quantitative and financial terms. As such, the positive gains of the cost-benefit analysis should provide guidance in maintaining any prison model. The methodology that the study followed is Qualitative Systematic Archival Article Review.  Data was collected through global and local archives, coded and analysed through triangulation, thematic and content analysis. This process was followed to establish robust themes and insights regarding the subject matter thereby enhancing rigor, reliability, and validity of the results.  Consequently, the study noted that public prisons provide more value than private prisons in South Africa at this moment because of astronomical costs and human rights abuses associated with private prisons compared to public prisons. However, private prisons exhibit better maintenance as they provide improved living conditions for their smaller inmates’ population unlike public prisons. The study recommends that there should be robust training, strict monitoring, phased and gradual implementation of private prisons in South Africa. There should also be continuous evaluation of private prisons to ensure that they comply with government regulations.