The Democratic Alliance (DA) says a “comprehensive change” in management of South Africa’s correctional facilities is needed, following the damning Public Protector (PP) report which blamed the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) for the escape of convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester.

Bester escaped from the maximum security Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022 by faking his death and was arrested in April 2023.

The PP launched an investigation a month before his re-arrest after a complaint was made against the DCS for the poor handling of the escape.

The PP report blamed two DCS officials for improper conduct.

The DA will now write to the chairperson of the Correctional Services Portfolio Committee to call for an urgent special joint Portfolio Committee meeting between Correctional Services, Justice, and the South African Police Service.

“The report highlights serious lapses in the DCS’s conduct and response, exposing the department’s failures in addressing the incident promptly and adequately. The investigation uncovered a series of failures by DCS, citing months of inaction and delays in reporting Bester's escape to the South African Police Service,” said DA spokesperson on correctional services Janho Engelbrecht.

The DA noted the PP’s report which said the DCS was lax in investigating Bester’s apparent death and in reporting his alleged remains to law enforcement and instead passed on responsibility to private security company G4S.

“This inaction allowed Bester to remain at large for several months, potentially endangering public safety and causing significant distress to the victims of his previous crimes. It is noted that G4S played a role in the mismanagement of the escape, but DCS, as the primary custodian of correctional services in the country, is held accountable,” Engelbrecht said.