Court finds government intervention at Mangaung Correctional Centre unlawful after Bester escape

The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has set aside the Department of Correctional Services' premature state takeover of the Mangaung Correctional Centre, ruling the intervention unlawful. The court ordered the Minister and National Commissioner to repay over R1.7 million in 'credits' claimed from Bloemfontein Correctional Contracts (BCC), plus interest from July 31, 2023. The invocation of Section 112 of the Correctional Services Act in March 2023 was deemed improper, nearly ten months after convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester escaped from the privately-run prison in May 2022. BCC issued the credits under protest while disputing the demand.