Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says government is embarrassed by the escape of convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester from the Mangaung Correctional facility in the Free State.
Ntshavheni was briefing the media in Pretoria, on the discussions and outcomes of the cabinet meeting that took place on the 19th of March.
She says cabinet was briefed on efforts to arrest Bester, who is currently on the run, as well as those implicated in his escape from the G4S-operated facility in May last year, after staging his own death.
The minister says government is committed to ensuring that such an incident does not recur.
“As government, we take seriously our responsibility to make sure that convicted criminals serve their term in jail and their victims feel justice has been served. In that regard, that is why government has directed the Department of Correctional Services that they [should] fast track the takeover of those correctional centres.”
“You [will] recall that fugitive, Thabo Bester, escaped [from a] centre operated by G4S. We instructed that the two centres that are operated by the private companies be taken over as speedily as possible,” adds Ntshavheni.
The video below is the proceedings of the cabinet briefing:
