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- The Department of Correctional Services has issued the Mangaung Correctional Centre's management company with a notice that it will terminate its contract.
- This follows the escape of Thabo Bester almost a year ago from the prison.
- Justice Minister Ronald Lamola didn't want to elaborate, as the matter could be subject to litigation.
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 (DCS) 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.
READ | Bester advocate withdraws because of 'funding' after being asked about his own criminal trials
"The notice to terminate follows a legal opinion that DCS had sought. It has been deemed that BCC (Bloemfontein Correctional Contracts) is not suitable to continue with the contract," Lamola said.
"In line with the concession contract agreement, a termination notice for a period of 90 days has been served to BCC, and thereafter, the contract will cease to operate. DCS has already resumed with an internal exercise for the takeover process."
The move was welcomed by ACDP MP Steve Swart, who asked Lamola to elaborate.
"Indeed, we have received the legal opinion, which does show that the systematic challenges which we faced with the MCC over a number of years, including the last one with the escape, points to the fact that the management contract or concession contract cannot continue in this kind of a format, because, indeed, they are struggling to meet the contractual obligations," Lamola responded.
"Therefore, the department has decided, and issued a notice of termination to the Mangaung management company with regards to this matter.
He added:
Bester escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre on 3 May 2022, after faking his death in a fire in a solitary cell he had requested to be placed in days before.
Only in the past month has Bester and his alleged accomplices, including his partner Nandipha Magudumana, been arrested.
Bester and Magudumana were arrested in Tanzania.
Lamola said the department continued to be in the news following Bester's escape.
He said:
He sought to assure the committee that "inmates are incarcerated securely and in humane conditions".
According to Lamola, out of an inmate population of 143 223, only 22 had escaped during the 2021-22 financial year.
"We are the first to acknowledge that one escape at our facilities is one too many," he said.
Lamola said they would "redouble" their security operations to prevent escapes and "deal harshly" with officials who don't adhere to standard operating procedures.
