Pretoria – Convicted prisoner Edward Khomotso Madiba has been rearrested within 72 hours of escaping from Rooigrond Maximum Correctional Centre near Mahikeng, with Correctional Services now investigating whether he was assisted in breaking out.
National Commissioner of Correctional Services Makgothi Thobakgale confirmed Madiba’s rearrest in Pretoria on Thursday morning, saying the 20-year-old escapee was apprehended on Wednesday after a nationwide manhunt involving police and other law enforcement agencies.
“We remained on the trail, tracking this offender, so I can confirm that he was apprehended within 72 hours,” Thobakgale said.
[BREAKING NEWS] Correctional Services announces that Edward Madiba, the offender who escaped from a North West prison where he was serving a 20-year sentence, has been apprehended. #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/X6GGlff75X
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) September 10, 2026
Madiba escaped from the North West prison in the early hours of Sunday, 6 September. He was serving a 20-year sentence for robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of a firearm and ammunition, kidnapping and parole violations.
North West police said Madiba was rearrested after receiving information about his movements in the Bojanala Sub-District.
‘This offender was assisted’
Thobakgale said preliminary investigations had raised questions about how Madiba managed to escape, with investigators finding items at the scene which he said were deliberately placed to mislead authorities.
“We can confirm that this offender was assisted to escape,” Thobakgale said.
“The scene itself has a number of decoy items, but what we are uncovering is that those decoy items were put there to create a picture that this offender went through those decoy items.”
The commissioner said investigations were continuing to establish who may have assisted Madiba and how the escape was facilitated.
[WATCH] Correctional Services Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale says their investigations show that the offender who escaped from a North West prison was assisted. Thobakgale says investigators found items planted at the scene to create an impression that the inmate used them to… pic.twitter.com/AyqoiV3g2J
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) September 10, 2026
The department had previously said Madiba escaped from a single-cell section of the facility, with preliminary information indicating that he cut through the burglar-bar door. Eight correctional officials were subsequently served with notices of contemplation of suspension pending an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the escape.
Madiba was being held in the single-cell section because he was facing an additional charge relating to a previous escape. He had previously escaped from the same facility in 2022 and was later rearrested.
Thobakgale said the department’s national tracing team was activated within hours of the latest escape and worked alongside the police and other law enforcement agencies.
He said the department has a standing order requiring escaped offenders to be apprehended within 72 hours.
“That is why we have set up a permanent national tracking task team that on a daily basis continue to even search and track those that escaped some years ago,” he said.
“We cannot rest as long as all the offenders or inmates that were supposed to be in a correctional facility are out there.”
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Compiled by Glaan Sibuyi
