JOHANNESBURG - A court ruling has ordered that private security staff be taken over when the state assumes control of Mangaung Prison.
Unions say the decision protects jobs and restores employment conditions for affected workers.
Popcru president Thulani Ngwenya said the ruling shows dignity to the workers.
"It also shows security to their jobs because their conditions of service are going to be restored, and also all the benefits that it's going to retain. The fear that was there among our members that they might be chucked out of work, the Constitutional Court has ruled that they must be absorbed by Correctional Services.
"And we don't know who the people are who have advised the department that they must go to court and say our members must not be absorbed, which was totally against the law, against the labor relations, because the contract is coming to an end because of all these things that have happened in G4S," he said.