Editorial: Apology over Thabo Bester saga is not enough

Cape Town - Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Minister Ronald Lamola’s apology to Thabo Bester’s victims could be easily acceptable if it was followed by his resignation.

Not only did he and his leadership drop the ball, they are not the right people for the job.

In fact, their failure to timeously communicate Bester’s escape is more than just dropping the ball.

We would be not off the mark in arguing that it may have been a deliberate ploy to not come out early with news of Bester’s escape as it would once again have been an embarrassment to the government of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Or is it true that Bester was well connected politically? Whatever the case, Lamola cannot expect the victims and South Africans to simply accept his apology and move on.

South Africans are indeed a forgiving nation, but that should not be abused for the failures of those they entrust to lead.

While it is encouraging that a number of arrests have been made at an impressive speed, the bigwigs at the top, including Lamola, his deputy Patekile Holomisa and the entire G4S management responsible for running the Mangaung maximum security prison, should be sacked.

It’s not enough to charge the officials at the bottom when it is clear that Bester would not have been able to pull off the elaborate escape without the help of someone very senior, either in the government or at G4S.

As our sister publication Sunday Independent reported, he is believed to have paid R5 million to at least nine prison warders who helped him escape.

We know of only one who has been arrested and charged along with the father of Bester's “customary wife”, Dr Nandipha Magudumana.

Until all the implicated have faced the music, including the top politicians who are said to have helped Bester escape, this case will not be concluded.

For Lamola et al, the honourable thing would be to step down out of respect for the women they have failed.

Cape Times