Five SA prison escapes in less than a year

Limpopo police are still on the hunt for six prisoners who escaped the Letsitele police cells outside Tzaneen on Saturday.

Just less than two weeks ago, the Johannesburg High Court saw the escape of two murder-charged detainees.

Here are five recent prisoner escapes that made headlines:

Limpopo Letsitele police station, February 2019

An investigation into the escape of six detainees who made off while under the Letsitele police's watch is under way. 

The detainees are aged between 20 and 36 years and were awaiting trial for for crimes including attempted murder, theft, robbery and burglary.

Johannesburg High Court, February 2019

Two murder suspects escaped from the South Gauteng high court on 1 February.

The suspects were named by police as Andisile Ncanyelo and Njabulo Khumalo. They are due to appear in court on unrelated murder charges.

The court roll stated that Ncanyelo was set to appear alongside a co-accused, while Khumalo was to appear alone.

The police's investigation into how the suspects got away and their whereabouts is still ongoing. 

Johannesburg High Court, December 2018

Murder suspects Mongezi Mcunukelwa, 31, and Sbonelo Thwala, 21, also escaped from the Johannesburg High court. 

Captain Mavela Masondo said Mcunukelwa was a serial killer from Katlehong, east of Johannesburg, who was involved in a shoot-out with the police in June 2018.

The two have not yet been found.

Sun City prison, April 2018

A Johannesburg prison escapee was re-arrested in September, following his flight in April.

During his re-arrest, he was found to be in possession of a gun that was linked to the murder of a security guard.

He was one of 16 escapees who had made it out of the prison by partially breaking a brick wall.

By September 11 suspects had been re-arrested. Two of them were caught in a joint operation by Saps and Metro police.

Boksburg Correctional Centre, September 2018

Four prison officers were arrested in September for assisting Mxolisi Booi escape his arrest.

Booi was caught just hours after his escape, which he managed to pull off while at the Charlotte Maxeke hospital for a check-up.  

Booi was serving 18 years for robbery.