29 October 2024
Parliament’s portfolio committee for Correctional Services met on Tuesday to discuss how to deal with previous inquiries into Thabo Bester’s prison escape. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks
More than a year after Parliament’s portfolio committee for Justice and Correctional Services lodged an inquiry into Thabo Bester’s prison escape, members of parliament are still waiting for answers.
On Tuesday, 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.