Load-shedding hits East London

A DANGEROUS awaiting-trial prisoner from Dutywa, Siphamandla Tyhalisi, 26, used a hacksaw blade to cut through a steel windowframe and bed sheets knotted together to climb down from the window of Unit E 2 House 5 prison block to escape from East London maximum security prison last week Friday.

The cellblock, which Tyhalisi was sharing with 23 other awaiting-trial prisoners, is on the second floor of the building and, in escaping, Tyhalisi avoided 10 prison guards and a three-metre high, barbed wire-topped electric fence to leave the prison precinct.

By the time of print he had yet to be recaptured.

This was exclusively revealed by the Eastern Cape Department of Correctional Services to the Daily Dispatch this week. The department’s provincial correctional services spokeswoman Nobuntu Gantana said Tyhalisi’s escape was noticed early yesterday when the prisoners were being released for breakfast.

He was due to appear in the Willowvale Magistrate’s Court on Monday June 18, on a number of charges including aiding escape, escape, rape, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, housebreaking and assault with grievous bodily harm.

“The exact time of the escape is not known as the incident is believed to have happened at night or in the early hours of that day,” said Gantana.

She explained that Tyhalisi’s earlier escape charges stem from a 2016 escape from Dutywa police custody where Tyhalisi and three others are alleged to have overpowered two policemen and hijacked a police vehicle, before speeding off in it.

Gantana claimed the group then went on a crime blitz using the police vehicle.

Butterworth police spokesman Captain Jackson Manatha confirmed the incident and added that all four fugitives were re-arrested and the vehicle recovered.

Tyhalisi was admitted to the East London prison on April 13 2016.

Gantana confirmed that the correctional services department had launched an internal investigation into last week’s escape and will be looking to uncover whether the breach of security was caused by a human factor or inadequate security infrastructure.

Gantana warned the public not to try and apprehend Tyhalisi.

“If you see him, please call the nearest police,” said Gantana. —