Inkatha Freedom Party Statement By:

MR VELAPHI NDLOVU MP 
IFP SPOKESPERSON FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY

22nd August, 2007

The Inkatha Freedom Party condemns the latest escape of five dangerous prisoners from the Tembisa holding cells in Johannesburg, during a court recess. 

The prisoners who are wanted for murder, attempted murder, armed robbery and hijacking, seemingly escaped quite easily by breaking the holding cell's door. 

The escape once again highlights the serious lack of proper policing of dangerous criminals, and is just the latest in a long list of convicts who have escaped from jails and holding cells across the country this year.  

Furthermore, the hunting of these dangerous escapees places the lives of the police and the public at risk, and it wastes valuable police time, who are already overstrained with fighting rampant crime. 

The break-outs mean that police officers need to spend time trying to track down the prisoners and afterwards police are burdened with having to investigate how the prisoners escaped. It is an unnecessary waste of valuable time and money and we need urgent intervention in stopping further escapes from happening in future. 

We therefore call on the Minister of Safety and Security to make sure that more stringent measures are put in place when prisoners are outside of maximum security facilities.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mr Velaphi Ndlovu MP: 083 625 0803
Liezl van der Merwe: 083 611 7470