Cape Town - South Africa was a country that held politicians accountable for their actions, Ronald Lamola, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, and Police Minister Bheki Cele would have been sacked for their poor handling of the Thabo Bester escape saga.
Since the story emerged of Bester’s dramatic prison break from Mangaung Prison, which is a privately managed correctional facility in Bloemfontein, embarrassing details have emerged about the government’s handling of the escape.
The story of how Bester and his girlfriend, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, allegedly planned and orchestrated his escape from one of the country’s most secure prisons has left the government with egg on its face.
As a result of this unfortunate saga, the country has been portrayed locally and abroad as lacking in the rule of law, with public institutions that have completely collapsed.
It exposed South Africa’s decaying state.
It is therefore shocking that both Lamola and Cele remain in their positions despite overwhelming evidence that they failed to take appropriate actions that would have led to the prompt arrest of a very dangerous criminal.
Before his daring escape, Bester had been serving a life sentence for murder and the rape of several women. It is absolutely shocking that Cele failed to warn Bester’s victims about his escape.
It does not hold water for the police minister to defend his position by saying that the police did not want to jeopardise their investigation.
What more must Cele do to convince President Cyril Ramaphosa that he is not up to the task?
Last week members of Parliament grilled G4S, the multinational security company that runs Mangaung Prison, about Bester’s escape.
During that session it emerged that Lamola had been informed about the escape in October last year in a letter written by the Inspecting Judge for Correctional Services, Justice Edwin Cameron.
It is not clear what actions Lamola took to ensure that something was done to apprehend Bester.
If it was not for the media that informed the public about Bester’s escape from prison, and that the burnt body in his cell was not his, the convicted murderer and rapist would still be out there living the high life.
Lamola and Cele have a lot to answer for.
Cape Times