The portfolio committee will meet on 4 April where they are expected to receive a briefing from the Department of Correctional Services on the allegations surrounding the prison escape of the so-called Facebook Rapist.
FILE: The committee also noted with “grave concern” reports of the escape of the convicted murderer, reported to have died in a fire at the Mangaung Correctional Centre in 2022. Picture: Supplied
CAPE TOWN – The portfolio committee on Justice and Correctional Services scheduled an urgent meeting to receive a briefing from the Department of Correctional Services on the daring prison escape of convicted Facebook rapist, Thabo Bester.
The committee also noted with “grave concern” reports of the escape of the convicted murderer, reported to have died in a fire at the Mangaung Correctional Centre in 2022.
The committee will meet with the department on 4 April to be briefed on the allegations.
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Justice and Correctional Services committee chairperson Bulelani Magwanishe said, earlier, that the committee was only aware of the information it got from media reports about the alleged death in the fire.
Members of the committee are expected to demand answers from not just Correctional Services, but from security company G4S, which was contracted to run the Mangaung Correctional Centre.
Committee member Janho Engelbrecht said that the department should ultimately account.
“I think there’s a big problem at G4S. However, accountability lies with Correctional Services. There are measures in place from Correctional Services where they can check if the things that need to happen at these private facilities are, indeed, happening.”
Engelbrecht said reports that the deputy minister was informed that Bester escaped, but subsequently took no action was deeply concerning.
