Rooigrond Prison Escape May Have Been An Inside Job, Says Thobakgale
Correctional Services National Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale (right) says the second escape of convicted robber Edward Khomotso Madiba (left) from Rooigrond Maximum Correctional Centre may have involved help from inside the prison.
Madiba escaped on Sunday, 6 September, after allegedly cutting through the burglar-bar door of his single cell. He is serving a 20-year sentence for robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of a firearm and ammunition, kidnapping and parole violation.
Madiba first escaped from Rooigrond prison escape in 2022 and remained on the run for about three years before being recaptured in 2025. He was being held on a further charge linked to that escape.
Thobakgale said a preliminary inspection suggested the door could not have been cut from inside and that an electronic tool appeared to have been used.
“Just from doing a preliminary investigation you can pick up that he was not alone,” he said.
Thobakgale has appointed investigators from his office to probe the escape independently. Eight officials have been served with notices of contemplated suspension pending the outcome of the investigation.
Meanwhile, POPCRU in the North West has blamed the facility’s deteriorating, apartheid-era infrastructure, saying it has not been properly refurbished.
A multi-agency manhunt for Madiba is under way. The public has been urged not to approach him if spotted, but to alert police immediately.
