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Update: 24 October

The South African Police Service has confirmed the identities of the four detainees who escaped from the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court earlier this week, as the manhunt for the remaining two fugitives continues.

The escapees, aged between 22 and 33, were identified as Linda Soyeza, Mphumeleli Lufutha, Ismail George, and Tawfeeq Damo. They had appeared in court on charges that included housebreaking, illegal possession of a firearm and a warrant for arrest.

SAPS spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said the men were remanded in custody after their court appearance on Monday but managed to escape from the holding cells, as per SmileFM.

‘Wynberg police are seeking the assistance of the public to help with the investigation into the escape of detainees,’ Twigg explained. Members of the public with information are urged to contact Detective Sergeant Abrahams at 079 498 9937 or Crime Stop at 08600 10111.

Twigg added that six awaiting-trial prisoners had originally escaped, but two were quickly re-arrested. ‘Police are following up all leads in a bid to re-arrest the outstanding suspects,’ he said.

Meanwhile, in an update shared by SAPS, authorities confirmed that two of the four remaining fugitives, Linda Soyeza and Toufieq (Tawfeeq) Damon, have been re-arrested.

The escape has once again drawn attention to safety lapses at the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court, a site that has experienced several security incidents in recent months.

Abie Isaacs, who is the Chairperson of the Cape Flats Safety Forum, expressed his concern, saying: ‘There are a lot of incidents happening at Wynberg court. Based on that, we are calling for the authorities to step up the security.’

Isaacs urged that security measures be strengthened not just at Wynberg, but also across other courts that may face similar risks. ‘We call on all authorities, the Department of Correctional Services, all agencies, to step up their game and re-arrest the awaiting trial prisoners,’ he said.

The Western Cape MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, also weighed in, calling for a ‘full and thorough investigation’ into how the suspects managed to escape from custody.

‘We need to identify any lapses in security or procedure that allowed this to happen, and ensure that systems are reinforced to prevent any such incidents in future,’ Marais stated.

Four prisoners awaiting trial escaped from the holding cells at Wynberg Magistrates Court on Monday, 20 October, prompting a large-scale police manhunt across Cape Town.

According to police spokesperson Wesley Twigg, six individuals between the ages of 21 and 34 managed to flee from custody during the incident.

‘Two of them were quickly re-arrested, while four remain at large,’ Twigg confirmed. Police have since opened a case of escape from lawful custody and say that ‘all leads are being followed’ in their effort to track down the fugitives.

One of the escapees is said to be a repeat offender from Hanover Park, a man with a history of fleeing police detention.

In a similar case back in 2023, the same individual reportedly escaped from the Philippi police cells after being arrested. Due to his previous attempt, he had been denied bail and was already known to authorities for his repeated efforts to evade detention.

The escape has reignited concerns about security lapses and inefficiencies within South Africa’s justice system.

Nicholas Gotsell, who is a member of Parliament serving on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Security and Justice, voiced sharp criticism of what he described as ‘a lack of integration’ between the South African Police Service (SAPS), the courts, and Correctional Services.

Gotsell noted that ‘the system still relies on manual processes,‘ which makes it vulnerable to manipulation. He added that some detainees take advantage of these weaknesses by ‘swapping identities with cellmates who face less serious charges.’

He emphasised the urgent need for a reliable police force and a secure, fully integrated biometric system that connects SAPS with the Departments of Justice and Correctional Services, a measure that could prevent incidents like this in the future.

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Picture: SAPS/X

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