The prisoner‚ Mxolisi Booi‚ had been serving an 18-year sentence for robbery.
Monama said he had already served half of his sentence at the time of his foiled escape. Booi had fled from the Charlotte Maxeke hospital on Tuesday while he was there for a check-up.
He was re-arrested after a chase by Saps‚ metro police and the correctional services support team on the N12 near Daveyton hours after his escape.
"He was found with his girlfriend‚ who was also arrested and charged with aiding an escapee‚" Monama said.
Monama said three prison escapes had been reported in Gauteng since the start of this financial year.
"This number includes the mass escape from Johannesburg Correctional Facility‚ where 18 escaped. Of the 18‚ a total of 11 inmates have been re-arrested‚ two more were killed in a shootout while 5 inmates are still at large‚" said Monama.
Six officers had been arrested in connection with the escapes.