MPs furious after G4S fails to pitch for meeting to discuss Bester escape

"G4S has requested to be summoned so it can make the appropriate witnesses and the appropriate documents available as quickly as possible,” said Webber Wentzel attorney Ben Winks.

Bester has been on the run since making a daring escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022.

G4S ran the prison on behalf of the Department of Correctional Services.

It is believed that Bester faked his own death after he was assisted by three prison wardens working for G4S, a company that's in a public private partnership with the Correctional Services Department.

In a letter on Monday, G4S stated that it would welcome the opportunity to attend a formal meeting, under parliamentary privilege, with the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services.

"In order to enable G4SCS SA to fully and properly engage with the Portfolio Committee, it would need to be afforded the same protections which ordinarily would apply to those attending parliamentary committees, such as those stipulated under section 16 of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislature Act, 2004 ("the Privileges and Immunities Act"),” said Winks.

Addressing members of Parliament, chairperson Gratitude Magwanishe said a new date will be communicated after deliberations have been made with the National Assembly speaker.

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Magwanishe addressed Parliament on Tuesday on the circumstances around Bester’s alleged escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre.

"The resolution of the committee is that G4S will be summoned to appear on the date that will be agreed upon between ourselves and the speaker of the national assembly and the date will not be the one determined by G4S, we determine the date together with the speaker of the national assembly, the date should be quite soon because we want to conclude the matter as soon as possible."

Meanwhile, Winks reiterated the reasons why the security contractor requested to be summoned.

"I have very limited mandate obviously I can't make any presentation on what happened in May 2022 but to explain the position the G4S has taken and to explain upfront that G4S certainly hasn't meant any disrespect to this committee. 

"G4S didn't directly receive any invitation but incidentally on Saturday heard from bcc who was invited that this meeting was to take place but G4S didn't directly receive the invitation and wasn't aware that there were any presentations would be required from them. G4S is very keen to assist the committee but my mandate is to explain why precisely it is unable to do so without the summons."

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