Questions are being asked as to how six dangerous prisoners managed to cut a hole in the ceiling of their cell, jump over a five-metre high fence and flee to freedom.
While their freedom was short-lived, thanks to some crack detective work, residents of Dundee and Dannhauser lived in fear for three days while the men – four of which were implicated in murders in both towns, robbery and rape – were on the loose.
Cassim Alijan (32) was being held for the brutal murder of Rekha Govender in her Browning Street home in July, while Mondli Brian Gamede (24), Bonginkosi Sithebe (41) and Sabelo Kubheka (24) are all implicated in the murders of Piet Maré and Venktas Govender in Dannhauser in September.
Lethukuthulu Shabalala (24) was in custody for rape while Mduduzi Mabaso (39) was charged with attempted rape.
Initially, all six men escaped from the Dundee Correctional Services at about 10pm on October 31. They escaped through a hole in the ceiling – a ‘very tiny hole’, commented police. How they managed to get their hands on tools to do the cutting is subject to investigation.
Five men managed to land ‘safely’ on the pavement adjacent to Gray Street but the sixth man, Mduduzi Mabaso, became entangled in the razor wire. He cut himself badly before landing on the pavement. He twisted an ankle and injured an arm.
He managed to limp after his fellow inmates, who had made their way up Gray Street towards Pick n Pay. Mabaso flagged down a passing Mbube Guard van and asked them for assistance. The driver, not realising he was an escapee (awaiting trial prisoners in custody do not wear convict garb), said ‘he would come back and assist in a minute or two’.
Shortly afterwards the Mbube van was stopped by Correctional Services officers who asked the driver if he had seen any men running up Gray Street.
Putting two and two together, the Mbube driver promptly turned around, drove back and arrested the injured Mabaso. He was sent to hospital.
‘Hit their house hard’
Meanwhile, it appears as if the five fugitives made their way along the railway line to Glencoe.
Late on Tuesday, following up on information received by SAPS Cluster Commander, Brig Khanyile, Detective Warrant Officer Antony Nkabinde left for Madadeni last night where he received information the fugitives were in a park, awaiting the arrival of a Quantum vehicle that would transport them further.
Backed up by the units from Newcastle, further information was received and shortly before 11pm a house in Madadeni’s section 3 was ‘hit hard’ by police – the operation took the escapees by surprise and all were arrested without resistance.
The men have since been charged with escaping from lawful custody and have since been transferred to Ncome Prison. Dundee police were full of praise for Warrant Officer Nkabinde and his team who had worked tirelessly to bring the desperadoes to book. However, Correctional Services personnel on watch, when the men escaped, could be facing disciplinary hearings. At the time of going to press the Department had not yet responded to requests for comment by the Courier.