Authorities have launched a manhunt for 35-year-old Yanga Wayithi, who escaped from Pollsmoor Correctional Centre while serving a six-month sentence for theft and trespassing.
UPDATE: Cape Town authorities confirmed, on Wednesday morning, that Wayithi has been recaptured and returned to Pollsmoor Prison.
Manhunt launched for Yanga Wayithi
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) confirmed the escape during a parliamentary briefing on prison security, revealing that Wayithi had been part of a work team responsible for maintaining the facility’s grounds.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has opened a case of escape from lawful custody, and the DCS’s tracing team is working to rearrest the fugitive.
An internal investigation is also underway to determine how Wayithi managed to escape, with authorities reviewing security measures at the facility.
DCS has urged the public to remain vigilant and report any information on Wayithi’s whereabouts. Further updates will be provided as the investigation unfolds.
DCS provides update on Thabo Bester escape report
During the same parliamentary session, DCS officials discussed the findings of the Public Protector’s investigation into Thabo Bester’s escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre in 2022.
The report highlighted systemic failures, including delayed reporting, mismanagement by officials, and security breaches at the privately managed prison.
Key findings include:
- DCS officials failed to report Bester’s escape in a timely manner, allowing him to evade capture for nearly a year.
- The escape involved significant collusion within the prison, including tampered CCTV footage and a planted corpse used to stage Bester’s death.
- A whistleblower had alerted authorities to the escape months before it was officially acknowledged.
In response to the report, DCS has been ordered to implement an Escape Prevention Strategy within 90 days, along with an anonymous reporting hotline for prison staff.
Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services will also receive regular updates on prison security measures.
Meanwhile, the trial of Bester and his co-accused has been postponed until July 2025 due to pending legal matters, including Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) case challenging the legality of her deportation from Tanzania.
Authorities say these delays highlight the ongoing challenges within the correctional system, reinforcing the need for stricter oversight and reforms.
