Termination of G4S contract long overdue - Popcru
The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) has welcomed the decision by the Department of Correctional Services to terminate its contract with security company G4S at the Mangaung Correctional Centre.
The Bloemfontein facility is run by G4S in a 25-year public-private partnership with the government.
On Tuesday, Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola told MPs on Tuesday that his department has served private security company G4S with a notice to terminate its contract.
The decision to terminate the contract with G4S follows the dramatic escape of convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester.
The trade union, which has members at the facility, says it will be monitoring the process.
"This termination should send a clear message to all private companies operating within the security sphere that all laws of the republic should at all times be adhered to the latter,” says spokesperson Richard Mamabolo.
"Popcru will be monitoring the winding-up process over the coming days and shall further ensure that Section 197 of the Labour Relations Act is followed to the letter during this period.
"We have always been against the privatisation of Correctional centres. Besides the Bester factor, there had also been other reported incidents of human rights abuses.
"We will also be engaging with the DCS management so that we are fully acquainted with the entirety of this unfolding process."
ALSO READ:
