A day short of a year after notorious murderer and rapist Thabo Bester's escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre, the Department of Correctional Services has served the private company managing the prison with a notice that it will be terminating its contract.
While this could put the prison back under the department's management within 90 days, a legal challenge to the move is expected.
Addressing the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services on Tuesday morning, Justice Minister Ronald Lamola announced that they had issued Mangaung Correctional Services (Pty) Ltd with a notice to terminate the contract.