Dear Editor
The DA notes with deep concern that SAPS waited three days before releasing the names of the four detainees who escaped from custody at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 20 October and are still at large.
This unacceptable delay highlights not just poor communication, but a serious security failure that endangers communities already living under constant threat from gangs and organised crime. The escapees – Linda Soyeza, Mphumeleli Lufutha, Ismail George, and Tawfeeq Damo – could have been identified and tracked far sooner had their identities been released immediately.
Wynberg is no ordinary precinct. It serves as a hub for multiple hotspot areas and handles some of Cape Town’s most serious gang-related and violent crime matters. The precinct itself has a history of repeated security breaches, which raises legitimate questions about potential criminal collusion within SAPS ranks and the ability of the Department of Justice to keep court staff and witnesses safe.
This incident also forms part of a growing pattern of systemic failures across the criminal justice chain. At Pollsmoor and other facilities, dangerous offenders have been erroneously released due to poor controls and manual processing. And earlier this year, Xolani Du Preez, Mikyle Mentoor, and Me-Kayle Timmie – convicted rapists and murderers – were “lost” through similar failures.
These repeated failures underline the urgent need for the devolution of policing and investigative powers to capable metros like the City of Cape Town.
The DA has submitted parliamentary questions to demand full details on:
- The circumstances of the escape,
- The identities and charges of the detainees involved, and
- The names and roles of SAPS members who were on duty at the time.
The reality is that SAPS’s failure to immediately alert the public and secure the scene reflects a criminal justice chain that is fragmented, outdated, and vulnerable to manipulation and corruption. The lack of an integrated biometric system linking SAPS, the courts, and Correctional Services further worsens these failures.
The DA calls for:
- A full, transparent, and independent investigation into the Wynberg escape;
- An explanation from SAPS for the four-day delay in releasing the names;
- The devolution of policing and investigative powers to capable metros to restore accountability and responsiveness; and
- The urgent rollout of a biometric identity verification system to close the loopholes exploited by criminals and corrupt officials alike.
The public deserves more than delayed statements and paper-based excuses. Dangerous criminals should never be allowed to simply walk out of custody while SAPS takes three days to alert communities already under siege.
Regards
Nicholas Gotsell MP
DA NCOP Member on Security & Justice