File photo by Oupa Nkosi
Multinational security company G4S, which operated the prison from which convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester escaped in May 2022, will not address parliament when the latter meets the Department of Correctional Services over the matter on Tuesday morning.
In a letter sent to the portfolio committee on justice on Monday, G4S Correctional Services South Africa requested “parliamentary privilege” and an official invitation to appear before, and address, the legislature group.
Contractual restrictions prevented G4S from publically engaging in matters relating to Bester’s break from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in Free State, the company said in a statement.
“[G4S] is bound by statutory obligations in the Correctional Services Act 1998 and is therefore unable to issue public statements on the events of 3 May or its cooperation with the subsequent investigations,” it said.
The parliament committee’s spokesperson, Rajaa Azzakani, told the Mail & Guardian that the letter from the security firm would be tabled during Tuesday’s meeting. Only after that would the committee make a decision on whether G4S would be granted a chance to speak in parliament.
The committee called an urgent meeting last week after it learned “with grave concern” of Bester’s escape from prison.
“At this stage, the committee is only aware of the information that it gathered from media reports about the alleged death in a fire of the inmate which is now alleged to have been a scam,” committee chairperson Bulelani Magwanishe said.
A spokesperson for G4S told the M&G last week that the police had been alerted to several concerns regarding the May 2022 prison fire in which Bester was initially said to have died.
“Three employees [at the prison] were suspended shortly after the incident. These employees were subsequently dismissed in September 2022, December 2022 and January 2023, respectively, for matters relating to their conduct on the evening of 3 May,” the spokesperson said.
Correctional services commissioner, Makgothi Thobakgale announced its immediate takeover of the management of the Mangaung prison last Thursday.
The findings of an investigation report “clearly revealed” Bester was helped in his escape from custody, Thobakgale said, telling journalists that the escape was “well calculated, organised” and there was evidence of inside assistance.