Nearly half of the 167 awaiting-trial prisoners who have escaped from police custody in the Eastern Cape over the past four years are still at large — a situation experts and politicians warn is placing communities at serious risk.
These figures revealed by community safety MEC Xolile Nqatha in response to questions from DA chief whip Yusuf Cassim showed that between the 2022/2023 and 2025/2026 financial years, 167 detainees fled custody, with only 85 rearrested.
Police are still searching for 82 escapees.
In the 2025/2026 financial year alone, 30 detainees have already escaped, with causes including wrongful releases, escapes during transport and negligence by police officials.
Poor conditions at holding cells were also flagged as a contributing factor.
District data showed OR Tambo, Chris Hani and Sarah Baartman consistently recorded the highest number of escapes over the four-year period.
The worst period was the 2023/2024 financial year, when 58 detainees escaped, 32 of whom remain at large.
One of the more disturbing cases occurred in February 2023 when police rearrested a 32-year-old man who had escaped custody in Maluti with five others in November 2022.
He had been awaiting trial on charges including assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, housebreaking and vehicle theft.
After his escape, police tracked him to the Matatiele mountains, where he was allegedly found in possession of a cellphone, laptop, router and vehicle keys stolen during a housebreaking.
It was alleged that on January 14 2023, he broke into a home in the Dack location in Matatiele, stabbed a 36-year-old woman multiple times, forced her into her vehicle and drove her about 50km to Mvenyane Forest, where she was further assaulted.
He later allegedly drove off in her car, leaving her behind. The vehicle was found abandoned 35km away.
The man was charged with kidnapping, robbery and attempted murder.
In another high-profile escape in December, Atshaxole Booi, 23, and Patrick Ndokweni, 34, escaped from the Cookhouse police station. They were rearrested within 60 hours.
Police only discovered the escape after a civilian arrived to report that Booi had robbed him on the same day.
A case of aiding and abetting was opened for investigation.
Both the DA and EFF have since called on Nqatha to present concrete prevention plans before the provincial legislature to curb escapes and improve public safety.
Cassim said the crisis was worsened by collapsing infrastructure at police stations.
“This problem is exacerbated by the condition of police holding facilities,” Cassim said.
This problem is exacerbated by the condition of police holding facilities,
“An oversight report debated last week confirms that many stations cannot use their holding cells because they are unsafe or unfit for purpose, forcing detainees to be transported to other stations at additional cost and with increased escape risk.
“In Thornhill there are no holding cells, while at KwaBhaca, cells are unusable due to dilapidated infrastructure.
“Eastern Cape residents deserve to feel safe in their homes and confident that those arrested will remain in custody.”
EFF MPL Simthembile Madikizela said the situation reflected systemic collapse.
“Escapes are casually attributed to wrongful releases, transportation failures and negligence, and if anything, point to systemic collapse within custody management,” he said.
“Even more disturbing is the weak disciplinary action that has followed.
“Final written warnings and counselling in cases where prisoners have escaped custody amount to little more than a slap on the wrist.
“When the consequence of negligence is that a potentially violent criminal is back on the streets, minor sanctions send the message that there is no real accountability.”
Criminologist Prof Tshimangadzo Magadze from Unisa said the high escape rate pointed to corruption and poor security.
He said in the case of foreign nationals, they could relocate to other countries using different names while “local suspects are easily rearrested because they are known in communities”.
“All escapees pose threats to victims and have high chances of reoffending.”
Despite disciplinary processes being instituted against dozens of police officials each year, escapes have continued.
In 2023/2024, 39 officers faced action, including suspensions, warnings and counselling.
In 2024/2025, 32 were disciplined, with one dismissal recorded.
In the current financial year, 17 members have already faced action, with more cases pending.
Community safety portfolio committee chair Tumeka Gaya said: “We are deeply concerned about the situation and will ensure that a plan to curb and avert this is formally tabled for monitoring.”
Red Alert Security expert Brett Harvey said improved technology and resources could make a difference.
“Smart technology such as cameras and secure gates should be considered,” he said.
“A resource boost of equipment and officers, and strict adherence to transfer procedures, could significantly reduce escapes.”
Community Policing Forum provincial secretary Ludumo Salman said: “I have been a CPF member from local to province since 2014 but I have never heard of so many escaped awaiting trial prisoners.
“We have a serious issue.”
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa said police were actively tracing all escapees.
“All detectives, assisted by Crime Intelligence, are conducting operations to ensure suspects are rearrested,” she said.
“In dangerous cases, communities are warned not to apprehend suspects but to contact nearby police stations.”
Madikizela also linked the crisis to leadership instability, noting that the province still did not have a permanent police commissioner.
“Until a permanent appointment is made, the province will remain on autopilot, drifting without firm direction while communities bear the cost,” he said.
The department said quarterly police safety meetings were held to assess risks and that equipment such as handcuffs, leg irons and secure vehicle locks had been identified as critical to reducing escapes.
Police could not identify the fugitives still at large or disclose what crimes they had been accused of.
Daily Dispatch
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