An unknown brazen man broke into the Mdantsane prison and tried to steal a car belonging to a prison warder from the parking lot.
A siren was rang from the tower guardroom after guards who were reporting for duty spotted the man near the car and chased him. The incident, which took place at 6am on Thursday, sparked fears of a prison escape among the nearby NU13 community. Eastern Cape provincial spokesperson Nobuntu Gantana said it is unknown how the man gained entry at the facility. Gantana confirmed that guards were under the impression that the man was a prisoner trying to use the car to escape.
“The guards saw a group of other guards chasing a man and thought it was an escaping prisoner. However after counting the prisoners and got a full count, it later appeared that the man was an intruder.” Gantana said a group of officials who had chased the suspect failed to catch him. In a short statement on whatsapp, Gantana said: “Early in the morning on Thursday, 25 October 2018, officials reporting for duty noticed a man next to an official's car.
The officials then called out to the intruder who ran away. Several officials chased the intruder but did not catch him. It is not known how the intruder accessed the parking area.” “A case was opened by the owner of the car” she added.​..