Opinions on disciplining officials for delaying Thabo Bester escape report?

The recent decision by the correctional services department to reassign and issue final written warnings to officials involved in the escape of murderer and rapist Thabo Bester has ignited a heated debate. Minister Pieter Groenewald shed light on the disciplinary procedures being followed in the Bester case following the release of a report by public protector Kholeka Gcakela.

The report revealed a significant delay in reporting Bester’s escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022. Officials Roseline Phahlane and Chris Mahonono were found to have acted improperly by waiting six months to report the incident. Initially, it was thought that Bester had perished in a cell fire, leading to confusion when a badly burnt body was discovered.

Despite being informed of the escape and false death report in June 2022, the department only officially launched a police investigation into the escape in January 2023. This sequence of events has raised questions about accountability and transparency within the correctional services department.