In response to a Parliamentary question, DCS clarified that it does not hold direct authority to discipline G4S employees, as this responsibility falls under the company’s internal processes. However, the Department retains the power to suspend or withdraw certificates of operation of any G4S employee deemed unfit for duty under the Correctional Services Act and related contractual provisions.

According to information submitted to the Department, between April 2023 and the present:

• 19 employees were suspended

• 12 were dismissed

• 20 resigned before investigations were concluded

These cases were linked to allegations of corruption, dereliction of duty, and security violations.

The Department further confirmed that financial penalties had been enforced. Since the inception of the contract, a total of R2.5 million has been recovered from Bloemfontein Correctional Contracts (BCC), the consortium managing the facility, with G4S as subcontractor overseeing daily operations.

The Supervisory Committee, which adjudicates on compliance matters, meets every two to three months to consider observation notices. Its rulings become binding within 14 days unless contested by either party, and the Department enforces penalty decisions when necessary.

In terms of independent oversight, the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS) remains the primary watchdog. JICS is mandated to inspect correctional centres, ensure humane treatment of inmates, and report on corruption and systemic failures directly to Parliament.

The revelations underscore persistent concerns over the management of Mangaung Correctional Centre, one of only two privately run prisons in South Africa. While DCS can enforce penalties and restrict operations, critics argue that the reliance on G4S’s internal disciplinary procedures continues to raise questions about accountability and transparency in cases of misconduct.

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As part of the Department of Correctional Services’ (DCS) plans to take over these facilities, a dedicated Task Team has been working on the transition process, beginning with MCC, which faces complications due to non-compliance issues and ongoing legal challenges. Despite these setbacks, DCS is focused on ensuring a smooth transfer of management once the legal matters are resolved or the contracts expire, the Department of Correctional Services told Parliament in a presentation on 26 November.

MCC began operations on 1 July 2001, under a 25-year contract with Bloemfontein Correctional Contracts (BCC), managed by G4S Security. The contract is set to end on 30 June 2026, with the Centre having an approved accommodation capacity of 2928 inmates. Similarly, KSCC in Makhado, Limpopo Province, has been operational since 16 February 2002, under a 25-year management contract by South African Custodial Management (SACM), set to conclude on 15 February 2027, and has a capacity of 3024 inmates.

In November 2021, the National Commissioner of the DCS appointed a Takeover Task Team, led by regional commissioners from Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, and Free State & Northern Cape regions, to oversee the planned takeover of both MCC and KSCC once their private contracts expire. The team was tasked with preparing for the transition of these correctional centres into DCS management, beginning with MCC due to its contract ending a year earlier than KSCC.

However, during preparations for the takeover, numerous non-compliance issues at MCC were identified, prompting the DCS to invoke Section 112 of the Correctional Services Act on 28 March 2023. As a result, the Department decided to issue BCC a 90-day notice of termination for their concession contract, effective from 02 May 2023, through 31 July 2023. The department then focused on ensuring readiness to take over the MCC facility, with the National Commissioner appointing a temporary manager and an acting controller to oversee the daily operations of MCC during this transition period.

The Task Team and Work Stream Champions conducted multiple site visits to assess the facility’s operations and develop action plans for the takeover. These efforts were meant to ensure a smooth transition to departmental management and address the operational challenges MCC faced. However, following the termination notice, BCC sought an urgent court interdict to challenge the Department’s decision, which caused delays in the planned takeover process. The legal proceedings are still ongoing and remain unresolved.

The Department has emphasized that the takeover of MCC and KSCC will continue once the legal issues are finalized or at the end of the existing contracts, whichever comes first. The ongoing legal challenge by BCC has impacted the timing of the transition, but DCS remains committed to assuming control of both facilities in due course.

The Department notes it is ready to take over operations of MCC, but this will only commence once necessary legal processes have been finalised. Furthermore, the takeover of KSCC will only be finalised after the takeover of MCC is concluded.

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This was the gist of Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald’s response to a question asked by MKP (uMkhonto weSizwe Party) National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Member of Parliament (MP) Edward Nzimande. The Gauteng public representative of what is the official opposition in South Africa’s seventh democratic administration sought clarification on the issue of private prisons as well as risks and benefits involved.

The private prisons are the Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein, managed and operated by British security company G4S, and the Sinthumule Correctional Centre outside Louis Trichardt, where United States (US) private corrections company CEO Group has the management contract.

Mangaung has the dubious reputation of being the place of incarceration the so-called “Facebook rapist” Bester escaped from in 2022 while the Limpopo facility was rocked by a violent riot which damaged it last year.

Groenewald told his questioner his department will not renew the two management contracts when they expire.

He is not pro privatising prisons because all powers are relinquished to a private company allowing them to perform all custodial functions. These include implementing policies and prescripts relating to, among others, safe custody; rehabilitation programmes; security/custodial personnel and facility management.

Nzimande was further told even where prisons are privatised, DCS retains overall responsibility for the contracted company’s operations. This responsibility goes to a DCS controller permanently at the facility for the duration of the contract.

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On Tuesday 29 October, the committee met to discuss the findings of a Public Protector’s report into Bester’s escape. Many MPs raised concerns about implementing recommendations made by the Public Protector before they have finished their own oversight process.

Bester escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein — a privately-run maximum security prison — in May 2022 by faking his death in a cell fire with the help of celebrity doctor Nandipha Magudumana and several prison officials. He and Magudumana were arrested in April 2023 and are awaiting trial.

Days after the duo’s arrest, the committee held a two-day hearing into Bester’s escape which was televised. The hearing was attended by ministers, top police and prison officials, representatives from Integritron Integrated Solutions, and multinational security company G4S, which runs Mangaung prison.

Janho Engelbrecht (DA) said the committee’s inquiry into Bester’s escape had not been completed. “There’s public expectation that the parliamentary process we started in the previous term will be concluded.” He said that the ongoing court case between the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) and G4S over control of the Mangaung prison “does not preclude us from pursuing the matter”.

Committee chair Anthea Ramolobeng (ANC), told MPs that though the hearing was held over two days there was “so much to absorb” and “too much information”. She noted that there was outstanding information needed by some departments.

Meanwhile, the Public Protector found there was “undue delay” in how the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) handled the escape. Remedial action included giving the National Commissioner of Correctional Services 90 days to create an Escape Prevention Strategy and Guidelines for the Mangaung prison, and to set guidelines for handling reports of corruption within 120 days.

Mogodu Moela (ANC) said, “We need to ensure that we play our role to ensure that the [Public Protector’s] remedial action is implemented because there are legal consequences if we fail to play oversight”.

He also highlighted the financial implications of prolonging an inquiry. “The remedial action is clear about what must happen. We need to close the matter so that we don’t cause a lot of expenses to the point where we think of broadening it and bringing in commissions and other things that will drag out the process and cost us money we don’t have,” he said.

Kabelo Kgobisa-Ngcaba (DA) suggested that Parliament’s researchers review past findings and ensure any unresolved issues are included in the current committee’s work. “Ultimately, our goal is to make sure that nothing like this happens again and that those involved are held accountable,” she added.

Ramolobeng assured MPs that she would ask Parliament’s research team to collate the outstanding reports of the previous enquiries into Bester’s escape. Ramolobeng suggested that the department first present to the committee before submitting its final report to the Public Protector.

Written by Marecia Damons for GroundUp and republished with permission. The original article can be found here.

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