Johannesburg - A gang of six brutal murderers, cop killers and rapists is still on the run after breaking out of Groenpunt maximum security prison early on Thursday.
By late Thursday, prison authorities were still unable to provide photographs of the men or clear details of any of them.
Seven escaped, but one was soon rearrested on the road to Sasolburg.
The six, still on the run, were between them jailed for murder, contract killing, kidnapping, robbery and rape.
One of the escapees was in jail for the gang rape of a pregnant woman and another for the rape of a 17-year-old.
Another escapee was serving time for killing a student constable.
The six are Phillip Tivane, Teko Mphuthi, Zandile Elvis Nkhabu, Majafe Celso Romao, Ndlovu Kwazi Nkosi and Petros Kgatliso Mabela.
Last Monday, Tivane made a failed attempt in the high court in Pretoria to appeal against his 35-year effective jail sentence for rape. Ten days later, he and six others escaped from the notorious maximum security prison at Deneysville in the Free State.
In his appeal for leniency, Tivane had argued that the Sebokeng Magistrate’s Court, which had imposed the maximum sentence on him, had failed to consider that he was married and a father of three minor children. He said he had no formal education, was supporting his families in Mozambique and South Africa, and was a first offender.
The appeal application was dismissed, with the judges saying all four charges against him were of a violent and serious nature. The judges dismissed his appeal against his conviction for raping and brutalising a 17-year-old girl, who was a virgin.
“Tivane took away something that was supposed to be lovely and precious. She was supposed to have loving memories of her first sexual experience. Tivane changed it into something very ugly and severely traumatised her,” the judges said.
He was also convicted of raping a 22-year-old pregnant woman at gunpoint along with accomplices.
“Tivane and his co-assailants did not care and were cruel. Both women were mentally and emotionally traumatised,”
the judges pointed out. “Tivane was the gang leader when the pregnant woman was raped, and he threatened her with a gun which was in his possession. He showed no remorse and deliberately lied in court.”
Mphuthi lost his appeal against a Sebokeng Magistrate’s Court decision of August 2013, sentencing him to life for the killing of student constable Pule Rasebakoa in March 2012. Rasebakoa disappeared after going for a jog and his body was found in the Drakensberg three months later.
Mphuthi and his co-accused Malefetsane Nhlapo, 36, both Lesotho nationals, were convicted of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances in the Harrismith Circuit Court in January 2013. The court found that they killed Rasebakoa as they believed he would arrest them for being in possession of eight stolen sheep.
Another escapee, Nkhabu, was jailed for his role in the contract killing of Free State businessman Tony Texeira in March 2013. Nkhabu was part of six accused linked to the murder. At the time of the killing, Texeira was about to marry the ex-wife of one of his killers. The killers were paid R20 000.
It is still unclear how the seven managed to get out of the facility, which houses more than 1 000 prisoners.
Correctional Services spokesman Logan Maistry said a joint law enforcement team was working around the clock to have the six apprehended.
The Star