The facility, which came under scrutiny following the escape of convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester in May 2022, has been renamed the Grootvlei Maximum Correctional Centre.

It will operate under the Grootvlei management area in the Free State/Northern Cape region. The takeover brought an end to more than 20 years of private management by G4S.

National commissioner of correctional services Makgothi Thobakgale visited the facility shortly before midnight on Monday to oversee the final handover and ensure the transition to state management was completed without disruption.

National Commissioner Thobakgale Oversees Historic Transition of Mangaung Correctional Centre to Grootvlei Maximum Correctional Centre

In the early hours of Wednesday, 01 July 2026 (00h01), DCS officially assumed full management of MCChttps://t.co/ornupZsaAB pic.twitter.com/2GGk6oOVjp

— The Department Correctional Services ???? (@DCS_ZA) July 1, 2026

The takeover followed the expiry of the department’s long-standing public-private partnership contract with Bloemfontein Correctional Contracts (BCC), which subcontracted G4S to operate the prison.

“This morning, from midnight, the department is now fully in charge of the former Mangaung correctional facility,” said Thobakgale. “What it means is that this is the end of the contract between the DCS and BCC, which subcontracted G4S to manage the facility.

“As government, we are capable of managing this correctional facility in the manner that we do manage other correctional facilities.

“We have now taken full control, meaning that every unit function is now under the management of the department. Preparations for the transition have been underway for the past two years to ensure continuity of security operations, offender management and administrative control.”

The Grootvlei Maximum Correctional Centre will now operate as a three-tier security facility, incorporating low, medium and maximum-security units under direct state administration.

Staffing remains a key focus of the transition. The commissioner confirmed more than 250 former G4S security officials have applied for positions within the department, while a total of 535 personnel were previously employed at the facility.

A Historic New Chapter for Mangaung Correctional Centre

History was made at 00:01 on 1 July 2026.

The Department of Correctional Services officially assumed full management of Mangaung Correctional Centre, ending a 25-year Public-Private Partnership pic.twitter.com/K85ltewZGP

— The Department Correctional Services ???? (@DCS_ZA) July 1, 2026

Recruitment processes are ongoing as DCS seeks to fill remaining vacancies amid broader shortages across the correctional system.

The department has also confirmed it still has a pending court matter linked to the facility, despite the contract having officially expired.

Ahead of the takeover, Parliament’s portfolio committee on correctional services raised concerns over staffing delays and operational readiness. However, DCS maintained extensive planning had been completed, including the establishment of seven dedicated work streams to manage the transition.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame

• Have a news tip to share? Phone or whatsapp the OFM News Hotline: 066 487 1427.