Department of Correctional Services to take over prison Thabo Bester escaped from

Africa Melane speaks with Golden Miles Bhudu, President of the South African Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights (SAPOHR).

Listen below.

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is taking control of the Mangaung Correctional Centre, operated by private security firm G4S.

The transition is expected to cost R50 million.

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The private contract at the prison was set to expire in 2026 but the timeline was accelerated by Thabo Bester's infamous escape.

Bester escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre by faking his death in 2022.

Bhudu says the private prisons in South Africa were used to loot money from the Department of Correctional Services.

“If it was not about making money, those two prisons should have been used as a beautiful model of what to do with the other 240 remaining correctional facilities in the country.”

- Golden Miles Bhudu, President - SAPOHR

He says the Department must work with organisations such as SAPOHR when it takes over the prison to ensure prisoners receive actual reform.

“Someone serving a sentence must come out a productive, law abiding and useful citizen. That is what a Department of Correctional Services should do.” 

- Golden Miles Bhudu, President - SAPOHR

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.