Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights (SAPOHR) has called on the Department of Correctional Services and union, POPCRU, to resolve their differences to ensure the smooth handover and operation of the Mangaung Correctional Centre.
This comes after the Department took over the Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein on Wednesday.
The centre, which has now been named Grootvlei Maximum Correctional Centre, was previously managed by security company G4S.
The company came under scrutiny after the escape of convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester in 2022.
About 250 former G4S employees have reportedly been left without jobs.
G4S workers reported for duty, but were allegedly locked out of the premises.
SAPOHR National Spokesperson, Miles Bhudu, has warned that should the standoff continue, the organisation will call on its members and supporters to embark on hunger strikes and down tools in protest.
“Now, SAPOHR has also learnt that POPCRU sent an urgent letter of demand on Monday, accusing the Department of Correctional Services of bypassing a labour court ruling ordering the absorption of former G4S correctional forces. Now, SAPOHR warns the DCS that should the standoff between themselves and POPCRU not be resolved, by next week Tuesday, SAPOHR shall have no other alternative, but to call on members, supporters, our sympathisers to embark on passive resistance.”
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