Correctional Service and South Africa Police Services (SAPS) have launch a manhunt following an escape of a ten year serving offender, Mandla Joseph Mahlangu from the Pretoria Central Correctional Centre this morning.
Mahlangu was sentenced to ten years in March 2007 for house breaking. He escaped from a work span engaged at the centre's upholstery section of the workshop after 08h00 this morning.
The department has appealed to members of the public to help in tracking him down and to bring him back to face the full might of the law as they have successfully done in the past. The department has also launched an internal investigation to establish circumstances surrounding his escape.
Commenting on a related incident of escape in Groenpunt, Correctional Services National Commissioner Xoliswa Sibeko said: "we are grateful to Radio 702's anti-crime unit for facilitating a speed return of Farouk Meyer, who handed himself over to the police this afternoon after escaping on Monday. I want to make it clear to even would be escapees that the long arm of the law will always catch escapees to face the law."
Commissioner Sibeko says: "We welcome the collaboration of Radio 702 in fighting crime as an example of societal responsibility for corrections in action." In terms of the law an escape is a criminal offence committed by the escapee and any other person seen as having aided directly or indirectly an escape.
Although incidents of escape are still experienced, indications already show that the department is winning the war against escapes as only 14 escapes have been recorded since January 2009 compared to 24 escapes during the same period in 2008.
Enquiries:
Manelisi Wolela
Cell: 083 626 0304
Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
27 May 2009
