Cape Town - Security company G4S confirmed that all Bloemfontein Correctional Contracts (BCC) issued to them through the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) have been terminated.
In a statement, a G4S South Africa spokesperson said they noted the notice of termination.
“G4S South Africa notes that the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has issued a notice of termination to Bloemfontein Correctional Contracts (BCC), an independent private company that has held the contract to manage the Mangaung Correctional Centre (MCC) since 2000.
“Over the past 22 years, MCC has had a strong track record and has been recognised as a well-run centre by a number of independent oversight bodies, including the Human Rights Commission and the Judicial Inspectorate of Correctional Services (JICS), which, in October 2022, assigned MCC the highest possible rating for a correctional centre,” the statement read.
Earlier this week, DCS said they “decided to terminate its concession contract with BCC”.
This comes after the brazen prison escape of Thabo Bester.
“In line with the concession agreement, a termination notice for a period of 90 days has been given to BCC, and thereafter, the contract will cease to operate,” DCS said in a statement.
An internal exercise for takeover process will resume.
G4S further said: “G4S South Africa holds a non-controlling minority investment in BCC, and on 22 November 2019, announced that upon expiry of BCC’s contract to manage MCC, G4S would no longer be investing in correctional services in South Africa.
“G4S is committed to investment in South Africa, but it remains G4S’s firm intention to discontinue all investment in correctional services in South Africa. The company will continue to co-operate with BCC and DCS and will seek to agree an orderly transition of services when BCC’s contract to manage MCC comes to an end.”
Cape Times