Three rape-accused men escaped from holding cells at the Phalaborwa police station‚ reportedly as they were receiving their Thursday evening meal. Limpopo police said the men had not yet been traced on Friday morning.This is the second successful breakout in the province in about a week.In a statement‚ Lieutenant-Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe identified the three men as Papic Mashale‚ 23‚ Thomas Mawashe‚ 23‚ and Benny Mathaba‚ 24‚ from the Phalaborwa area.The men were arrested for rapes which they allegedly committed in the area and have been in police custody for a number of months. Their alleged crimes are not related and their separate trials have yet to commence.“It is alleged that these escapees pounced on police officers who were busy feeding them and managed to disarm one of them and escaped. No shot was fired‚” Ngoepe said.On Friday morning‚ Ngoepe told TMG Digital that the men‚ who escaped around 5pm on Thursday‚ were still on the run.On Wednesday‚ police in Hlanganani near Giyani‚ in north-eastern Limpopo‚ said Richard Baloyi‚ 38‚ who had escaped on November 5 with fellow awaiting-trial prisoner Anele Nkuna‚ 25‚ had been re-arrested.The pair allegedly broke out through the roof of the holding cells they were being kept in over lunchtime.Baloyi was in custody on an attempted murder charge and Nkuna for his alleged role in a string of burglaries.Following their escape‚ provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Nneke Ledwaba instructed the Giyani cluster commander to establish a special task team to deal with the matter.Baloyi this week appeared in the Giyani District Court on a charge relating to the escape. His case was remanded to November 23.Nkuna is still at large.Ngoepe said each escape is investigated in two respects‚ looking at the conduct of the prisoners and the police officers.“Every incident is unique. We investigate the escape attempt [by the prisoners]. We investigate the internal circumstances [created by the officers].“We are looking at the cases. If members are going to be negligent steps will be taken [to deal with them].”Police are hunting for the three men. They asked community members to approach them with any information which may be useful in nabbing the escapees. – TMG Digital ..