An investigation into how 35 awaiting trial prisoners managed to escape from Durban’s Westville prison in broad daylight, using a warder’s vehicle, was launched on Wednesday. Police spokesperson Superintendent Vish Naidoo said the inmates had appeared in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court and were being taken back to their cells when eight of the men, wielding knives, overpowered the prison warden and a police officer.
They sped off in the prison vehicle, forcing their way out of the jail by smashing through a boom.
Naidoo said four of the 35 prisoners later handed themselves in. A special task team has been set up to investigate the escape.
Police are also trying to determine how eight of the men came to be in possession of knives.
The South African Prisoners’ Organisation for Human Rights (Sapohr) said in a statement on Wednesday that it was shocked by the escape.
”Sapohr does not condone any jailbreaks, especially since in most cases they put the lives of the escapees in danger. They will be hunted down like wild animals by the security forces,” the statement said.
The rights body said it urged all those who had escaped to turn themselves in to the police and face their alleged crimes ”like responsible adults”.
Alternatively, Sapohr urged the escapees to contact its office.
”We are more than prepared to assist them to hand themselves over to the police. We give them our word they will not be harmed.”
Sapohr demanded that an urgent investigation by the Provincial Commissioner of Safety and Security be launched to determine whether or not their was ”official complicity” in the escape. – Sapa