Call for suspension of 3 senior G4S officials alleged to be involved in Bester escape saga

Former G4S employees are calling for the suspension of some senior officials at the Mangaung Maximum Prison who are alleged to have been involved in the Thabo Bester escape saga.

The former employees marched to the facility where the Facebook rapist and murderer escaped in May last year.

They say three senior G4S officials are implicated in the matter, but they have not been dealt with.

The British-owned company that managed the maximum prison came under fire when the news of Bester’s daring escape made headlines.

In May, the Department of Correctional Services announced that it will be cutting ties with the consortium that manages the facility.

Government said its decision had been informed by a legal opinion, which found that the consortium is not suitable to continue with the contract, which was scheduled to end in 2026.

The former employees are calling on government to make sure that G4S vacates the facility in the 90 days stipulated in the termination notice.

A former employee says they’ve been informed that G4S is seeking an extension from government.

“We have it on record that they applied for a further 90 days which will be until the end of next year January, so we saying they should not be given the extension.”

“Criminally, we believe they (G4S) were part of what happened and putting the community in danger, so criminally they should be held responsible,” says the former employee.

The memorandum that was acknowledged by the G4S HR director also accuses the company of exploiting workers.

Tuesday’s march took place at the back of the court appearance of the nine accused in the matter including Thabo Bester and his lover, Dr Nandipha Magudumana.

Bester, dressed in his lavish Louis Vuitton sweater, made a brief virtual appearance where he confirmed that he has a new legal representative after his previous lawyers recused themselves from the matter.

The court also heard that Bester will be physically in court on the 8th of August when the matter returns.

Accused number 9 in the matter, Zanda Moyo (31) who was arrested last week, has provisionally abandoned his bail like the disgraced doctor Magudumana.

Magudumana’s father Zolile Sekeleni and former G4S employee, Nastassja Jansen, are the only suspects in the matter who are currently out on bail.