[imagesource: Gallo Images/Sowetan/Thulani Mbele]

On Wednesday, two dangerous inmates, Thabo Zacharia Muyambo and Johannes Chauke, escaped Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre in Pretoria through a hole in the wall of a cell, that was dug out using a sharp instrument.

Following the escape, all inmates in their cell block, A Section, were locked down, and an internal investigation was launched alongside a manhunt for the escapees.

There are now allegations from correctional services officials, who say that the department did not conclude an investigation which began in 2019, into alleged understaffing and incompetence at the facility.

They say that this has led to escapes and 10 suspicious inmate deaths, including the 2019 suicide of a mentally unstable convict.

Escapes? Plural?

The Mail & Guardian received images from inside the cells of Muyambo and Clarke.

The images from their respective cells show a mini-construction site, with bricks and other rubble strewn across the floors, revealing that both escapees grafted to flee Kgosi Mampuru.

Looking at the images, it’s hard to believe that nobody noticed the attempts at a jailbreak:

Image: Mail & Guardian

Image: Mail & Guardian

Correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo, who talked a big game following the escape, has said that the allegations of incompetence and understaffing are unfounded.

“We must note with concern the outrageous allegations being made, which could also be defined to be sensational. The investigation is expected to reveal and answer all questions surrounding the escape: how it happened, why, who was involved, what was not done properly and all other answers that are needed to solve the case,” Nxumalo said.

“The department will leave no stone unturned in solving this matter”, he said, “and all other cases that may involve negligence”.

A correctional services insider, who chose to remain anonymous, said on the record that both convicts were supposed to be in the high-security section of the prison, but had somehow found themselves in the medium-security block.

“Both the internal and South African Police Service investigations have not been completed. The findings of the internal investigation may be made public without sharing details of internal processes or procedures,” Nxumalo told the M&G.

“May be made public” are the operative words there.

Nxumalo says that the department will do “all possible” in the future to prevent further escapes.

It should have been doing ‘all possible’ already.

[source:mail&guardian]