The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services has taken a firm stand against G4S, the private company managing the Mangaung Correctional Centre, after a series of reports exposed unnatural inmate deaths and cover-ups. Committee Chairperson Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng expressed deep concern, accusing G4S of acting as a law unto themselves, with evidence pointing to brutal assaults, dishonesty and attempts to obstruct accountability. One of the most disturbing cases involved inmate Mpho Mkhumbeni, who died under suspicious circumstances after sustaining severe injuries reportedly inflicted by officials during a planned drill.
The committee also heard about the death of inmate Quinton Fortuin at Goodwood Correctional Centre, where staff allegedly used unjustified force even after he had been disarmed. These revelations paint a picture of malpractice, manipulation of reports and coordinated cover-ups within facilities under G4S’s watch. With calls now mounting for the immediate termination of the company’s contract, the investigation marks a turning point for South Africa’s correctional system, raising urgent questions about governance, ethics and the protection of inmate rights. Joining us is Miles Bhudu, Founder of the South African Prisoners Organization for Human Rights (SAPOHR) & Acting National Spokesperson