The Congress of South African Trade Unions welcomes the decision by The Trauma Centre in Cape Town to terminate its relations with the global security company G4S over its role in running Israeli prisons and allegations of G4S torture at the Mangaung Correctional facility in Bloemfontein.

In 2007 G4S was contracted to provide and maintain Israeli prisons, torture centres and detention facilities. Although initially claiming that it intends to terminate its Israeli contracts, G4S still operates in Israel and with the Apartheid Israeli regime. G4S also provides equipment and services to Israeli checkpoints and Israel`s illegal Jewish-only settlements in the occupied Palestinian West Bank.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in his 2012 report singled-out G4S for its illegal activities in Israel. Due to this Israeli involvement, in 2012, Palestinian prisoners and prisoner support organisations called for an international boycott of G4S as part of the global Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions (BDS) against Israel campaign.

COSATU also notes the progressive decision by the Trauma Centre to use this as an opportunity to bring part of its security in-house (instead of completely outsourcing this service). This pro-worker position should be commended and sets a precedent for other businesses, companies, universities and indeed our own government. Security, and other services, should not be outsourced!

Finally, COSATU lends its support to the workers and students at the University of Cape Town that are protesting UCT`s G4S contract due to G4S` complicity in labour exploitation and its complicity in Israeli Apartheid.

COSATU joins the call by BDS South Africa and others for UCT, Stellenbosch University and all other entities to drop G4S.