The police in the Western Cape have launched a manhunt for an inmate who escaped from Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town. Yanga Wayithi (35) is serving a six-month sentence for theft and trespassing. 

A DARING ESCAPE 

According to the Department of Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo, Wayithi had been assigned to a work team responsible for maintaining the facility's grounds when he escaped. "The South African Police Service has been notified and a case of escape from lawful custody has been opened. The Department of Correctional Services' tracing team is actively working to ensure a swift re-arrest. Additionally, an internal investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances of the escape, with the findings informing any further action to be taken," Nxumalo said. 

INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS UNDERWAY

Nxumalo added that an internal investigation has also been launched to establish the circumstances surrounding the escape. "The findings of this probe will guide any further action taken by the department," he said. The department has also urged the public to remain vigilant and inform authorities of any suspicious activity. Meanwhile, the Department of Correctional Services is currently briefing Parliament on its action plan to comply with the remedial actions of the Public Protector on its report on the escape of Thabo Bester from Mangaung Correction Centre in May 2022. The Public Protector found that DCS officials delayed in responding to the escape, prompting several remedial actions directed at the department management, including developing an escape prevention strategy and guidelines for handling corruption reports. Bester allegedly staged his death at the Bloemfontein facility by setting his cell alight with a dead body inside. He was allegedly helped by his lover, Doctor Nandipha Magadumana. The trial for the lovers and seven other co-accused, including Magudumana's father, has been set for July.