Pretoria – Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele says next week his department will be meeting with the Bloemfontein Corrections Consortium (BCC) who is responsible for the Mangaung Private Correctional Centre.
This follows the safety and security situation at the centre remaining under public scrutiny.
Addressing the Correctional Services Portfolio Committee Meeting in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Ndebele said: “The relationship between DCS and BCC is governed by a concession contract, which details services to be rendered, as well as minimum compliance requirements, in fulfillment of the contract.
“We want to ensure compliance in terms of the law and contract, and there are consequences for any breach of contract. In July 2016, as per the contract, ownership of these facilities will revert to the state.”
He said on 25 October, following reports of allegations of offenders at the centre being forcibly injected with antipsychotic medication, and electroshocks being used to subdue and control offenders, the department immediately ordered an investigation into the matter.
“The investigation included the appointment of a medical team. As per the Geneva Convention, cruel treatment and torture of inmates, including outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment, should not be tolerated.”
The department has invoked Section 112 of the Correctional Services Act with regards to the management of the centre operated by G4S.
Section 112 states: (a) “If in the opinion of the National Commissioner in consultation with the Minister: -
i. The Director has lost, or is likely to lose, effective control of a public-private partnership correctional centre or any part of it; and
ii. If it is necessary, in the interest of safety and security to take control of such correctional centre or part of it,
He or she may appoint a Temporary Manager to act as the head of that correctional centre and may replace custody officials with correctional officials to the extent necessary.”
Gauteng Regional Commissioner, ZI Modise, is currently overseeing the facility.
Ndebele said while various countries, including Canada and Britain, utilise private companies to manage correctional facilities, the public-private partnership experiment seemed to be showing that the desired results were not being realized.
He said the department would continue to engage all affected parties. – SAnews.gov.za
