Minister considers action regarding prison from which Thabo Bester fled

CORRECTIONAL Services Minister Pieter Groenewald said yesterday that he was pondering whether to continue with court action involving the private prison in Bloemfontein where inmate Thabo Bester escaped three years ago.

- MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA [e-mail]

This as the disputed contract, which is the subject of litigation in court, was due to expire in a year’s time.

Groenewald said despite the ongoing court action over the Bloemfontein Correctional Centre (BCC), which is managed by G4S security, the contract was coming to an end in June next year.

"Is it worth it to continue to go to court with millions of rands of taxpayer money when the contract ends in June next year? Those are considerations I will have to take in this specific matter," he said.

Groenewald made the statement during a question and answer session in the National Assembly when he was quizzed about the cancellation notice the department issued to the Bloemfontein Correctional Centre contract in May 2023.

His predecessor Ronald Lamola last year announced plans to take over the management of the Bloemfontein-based private prison within 90 days, following the issuing of the termination notice of the contract.