By Kaya 959 News
From runaway prisoners to runaway horses, it was a busy day for KwaZulu-Natal cops.
Officers had their hands full on Wednesday after 31 awaiting trial prisoners escaped and about 20 horses ran about on the N2.
KZN police spokesperson, Brig Jay Naicker, said prisoners were being transported from the PMB new prison to the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court when the vehicle that they were in was intercepted by a double-cab bakkie.
“Five heavily armed gunmen alighted from the vehicle and pointed their firearms at the police officers. They forced open the lock on the truck and 31 of the 45 prisoners inside the truck, fled,” Naicker said.
He said police launched a manhunt for the prisoners and by late yesterday afternoon, police were still searching for 18 of the prisoners.
READ: Another prison sex scandal rocks the country’s criminal justice system
IFP calls for probe
The IFP has meanwhile called for an investigation into the incident.
IFP KZN provincial spokesperson for Community Safety and Liaison, Blessed Gwala, said a thorough investigation must be conducted to ascertain how the “heavily armed men” who hijacked a prison truck knew about the route and time of the transportation of prisoners.
“We believe that this might be an inside job where some police officers colluded with criminals awaiting trial together with the hijackers. This is because the close relationship between prisoners and law enforcement officers in this country is questionable as it clearly manifests the lack of law and order in the country,” Gwala said.
He said the recent videos that are viral on social media where prison guards are seen having sexual intercourse with prisoners are evident to this.
Incompetent law enforcement officers
Gwala said use of cellphones by inmates and illegal items get smuggled into prisons by law enforcement officers in exchange for money is worrying.
“It is a concern to us as the IFP that law enforcement officers seem to get away with crime because they know they will not be held accountable and prosecuted for their actions. If any law enforcement officers are behind this escape, the law should deal with them harshly,” he said.
“Our communities have suffered a lot in the hands of criminals and incompetent law enforcement officers and this incident adds salt in a wound. People are living in an enormous amount of fear as it is with crime being out of control,” he added.
He appealed to the public to assist with any information that may lead to the arrest of the remaining prisoners who are on the run.
“These prisoners should be urgently recaptured and be punished severely,” he said.
Horses on the N2
Later in the day, at least 20 horses managed to escape from their enclosures and made their way up the N2 towards Tinley Manor.
IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson, Paul Herbst said after receiving calls from concerned motorists, IPSS Medical Rescue dispatched nearby marked vehicles to assess the situation and how it could be safely managed.
“On arrival of units, it was established that the horses had safely left the roadway, without incident,” he said.
Despite causing a bit of an obstruction to afternoon traffic, the horses were caught and safely returned to the farm.
