Pepper spray, torture, and a missing R800 backpack — shocking new details emerge in prison scandal
Bloemfontein, South Africa — April 23, 2025. In a disturbing turn of events, four suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of Mpho Mkhumbeni, an inmate at the controversial Mangaung Correctional Centre, a facility already reeling from years of scandal and mismanagement.
Initially declared a natural death after Mkhumbeni was found collapsed in his cell on March 12, the case has since taken a dark and violent twist. A post-mortem report contradicted official claims, revealing he had died due to pepper spray complications and blunt force trauma—prompting investigators to reclassify the case as murder.
At the heart of the investigation is G4S’s Dedicated Search Team (DST), which carried out an unauthorised cell search on the evening of March 11. According to the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), the team failed to inform the state-appointed Temporary Manager, breaching strict procedural rules.
Later that night, the DST returned—this time, allegedly looking for a backpack containing R800 that had gone missing. During this second visit, Mkhumbeni and three others were reportedly interrogated, assaulted, and tortured, with Mkhumbeni ultimately succumbing to his injuries.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has escalated the investigation from an inquest to a full murder case, with the four arrested individuals set to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court today, April 23. Seven G4S staff, including a security supervisor and multiple DST members, have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
The DCS has accused G4S of obstructing justice by attempting to conceal key details, warning that this behaviour may constitute a criminal attempt to defeat the ends of justice.
This scandal is the latest blow to Mangaung prison’s already tattered reputation. The facility made headlines in 2022 with the high-profile escape of convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester, a case that shocked the nation and cast doubt over G4S’s ability to manage the facility.
Calls for accountability are growing, with the DCS now moving to terminate its contract with G4S, citing repeated protocol breaches and escalating concerns over inmate safety.
As the court proceedings unfold, the country watches closely—demanding answers, justice, and a thorough reckoning for what’s happening behind the prison’s heavily guarded walls.
