Warders at Westville prison in Durban have until Thursday evening to respond to questions by the Department of Correctional Services following the escape of four armed prisoners last Saturday.
”We are asking them to state their case with regard to Saturday’s happenings,” said departmental spokesperson Nonala Ndlovu.
Asked whether the warders are suspected of having had a hand in the jailbreak, Ndlovu said: ”The issue is whether they followed procedures.”
She said the department drew up 23 letters earlier this week, but not all have been served on the warders because some of them are in hospital.
Meanwhile, there is still no sign of Nicholas Mlotshwa, Siphiwe Ntombela, Nkosinathi Gcanu and Bongani Malala, who were all held on charges of murder, attempted murder and armed robbery.
According to police the four — who were held together in the prison’s Medium A section — made a run for it when warders unlocked their cell to give them food on Saturday morning.
Police spokesperson Inspector Thulani Mkhize said they produced firearms, abducted a warder and fired two shots as they escaped.
Mkhize said the warder was left outside the prison as the men escaped in a police vehicle and a car belonging to one of the warders.
One of the cars was found abandoned outside the prison complex and the other in Chesterville, a nearby township. — Sapa