Cape Town — The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has confirmed that a prisoner died at the Mangaung Correctional Centre (MCC), the same facility from which “Facebook rapist” Thabo Bester escaped.
The Citizen reported that the DSC confirmed the incident.
“The Department of Correctional Services can confirm the passing of inmate Bukani Velaphi on 29 April 2023. The inmate reported being sick at about 18H22 and was taken to the hospital. The doctor examined him and sadly, the inmate passed away at about 20h15.
“Unfortunately, everything happening at Mangaung Correctional Centre is now linked to Thabo Bester,” DCS spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo was quoted as saying.
A prisoner died at Mangaung Maximum Prison on April 29, 2023 allegedly due to lack of medical attention. Apparently there was a plan to cover up for this inmate’s death in order to avoid another public backlash and public scrutiny @RonaldLamola @Min_JCS #ThaboBester #DrNandipha pic.twitter.com/0O54JynJTf
— Mzilikazi wa Afrika (@IamMzilikazi) May 7, 2023
G4S, the security company that was managing the Mangaung prison stated last week that it will no longer invest in correctional services in South Africa.
“G4S notes the department of correctional services has issued a notice of termination to Bloemfontein Correctional Contracts (BCC), a private company that has held the contract to manage the Mangaung Correctional Centre since 2000.
“Over the past 22 years, the correctional centre 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 which, in October 2022, assigned it the highest possible rating for a correctional centre,” Times Live quoted G4S as saying.
The MCC has come under scrutiny since Bester’s escape.
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Compiled by Junaid Benjamin
