389 escapes from custody reported
Herald Correspondent
Source: The Herald Online
EAST LONDON – In the six months between March and August this year, 389 people have escaped from custody – ranging from escapes from police cells and prisons to places of safety.
This does not include the escape of 13 awaiting-trial prisoners from the Coffee Bay police cells on Friday, and the escape of nine awaiting-trial prisoners from the Dordrecht prison on Monday.
Provincial police spokesman Superintendent Theodora Mngconkola confirmed the figures yesterday.
A breakdown of escapes shows the highest number in the Umtata area (153), followed by the Queenstown area (78), Port Elizabeth (35), Drakensberg (32) and East London (31).
The Uitenhage area had 25 escapes during the period examined, the Karoo had 20 escapes and the Grahamstown area the least at 15.
The provincial safety and liaison department’s annual report stated that about 80 per cent of escapes from Transkei police cells were preventable.
A team has been established to investigate the escapes and is to report back to the legislature on its findings.
