Thabo Bester: G4S will no longer be investing in correctional services in SA

G4S, the security company that runs the Mangaung Correctional Centre (MCC) where convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester escaped from, said it intends to discontinue all investment in correctional services in South Africa.

This comes after the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) decided to end its contract with Bloemfontein Correctional Contracts (BCC), which runs the MCC.

Justice and Correctional Services Minister, Ronald Lamola, on Tuesday confirmed that BCC had been served with a 90-day notice to terminate the contract of managing the MCC.

G4S South Africa said it notes the decision to terminate its contract, which it has held since 2000.

No more investment in SA

“G4S South Africa holds a non-controlling minority investment in BCC and on 22 November 2019 announced that upon expiry of BCC’s contract to manage MCC, G4S would no longer be investing in correctional services in South Africa. 

“G4S is committed to investment in South Africa but it remains G4S’s firm intention to discontinue all investment in correctional services in South Africa.

“The company will continue to co-operate with BCC and DCS and will seek to agree an orderly transition of services when BCC’s contract to manage MCC comes to an end,” the security company said.

Chaos at MCC

On Wednesday, The Association of Private Security Owners of South Africa (Tapsosa) warned the DCS that using “limited resources” could create further chaos at the MMC.

Tapsosa spokesperson Sindiswa Changuion urged the department to consider other service providers to take over the administration of the Bloemfontein-based facility.

“It is common knowledge that the department is understaffed, and using the already limited resources to run this prison facility could plunge it into further chaos and instability.

“Getting the department’s internal staff to operate that facility efficiently could take years of training and capacity development. That’s why we call for the government to use private security services as an interim solution,” he said.

ALSO READ: Thabo Bester: ‘Limited resources’ could plunge Mangaung prison into further chaos’ – Tapsosa

G4S grilled in Parliament

In April, G4S was grilled by Parliament about Bester’s escape from the MCC.

Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Glynnis Breytenbach ripped into G4S’ presentation surrounding the escape, saying the security company’s 21-page report is “completely exculpatory”.

G4S’s presentation looked into three investigations commissioned into Bester’s escape including Saps criminal investigation, Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services’ (JICS) independent investigation into an unnatural death and the MCC’s compliance investigation.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Thabo Bester – DA’s Glynnis Breytenbach rips into G4S report