Convicted criminal and serial escapee Annanias Mathe nearly broke out of the Ebongweni C-Max prison, near Kokstad in KwaZulu-Natal, the Sunday Tribune reported.
According to the report, Mathe, who escaped from Johannesburg Central prison in January 2005 and Pretoria C-Max prison in 2006, used a hammer and chisel to break through the wall of his maximum security cell on the third floor. The report cited unnamed sources in the prison system.
He reportedly worked at night for over four months, creating a 30cm-wide hole and used toothpaste and clothing as makeshift plaster to conceal his work.
The break-out attempt was uncovered on Tuesday after a warder heard noises from Mathe’s cell.
Mathe was sentenced to 54 years in prison in 2009 for rape, attempted murder, fraud, and armed robbery.
Ebongweni C-Max houses 1440 inmates, cost R450 million to build, and has a spotless escape record, according to the report.
The correctional services department’s chief deputy commissioner James Smalberger could not be reached for comment.
According to Wikipedia, Annanias Mathe (sometimes reported as Ananias Mathe) is a notorious serial killer, serial rapist and armed robber from Mozambique who achieved further notoriety in 2006 by being the only person to have ever escaped from the maximum high-security C-Max Penitentiary in Pretoria, South Africa.
Mathe was initially arrested on 51 counts of murder, attempted murder, rape, hijacking and armed robbery in November 2006.
Whilst being detained in the A6 ward of C-Max Penitentiary which houses dangerous and hardened criminals,
Mathe managed to escape by smearing himself with petroleum jelly and sliding out of his cell window, measuring only 20 cm x 60 cm. This daring escape led the South African press to dub him ‘Houdini’.
Mathe had escaped from police custody before, previously in April 2005.
His latest escape prompted a nationwide manhunt, the events of which were closely monitored by local media. He was re-arrested on 4 December 2006 (about two weeks after his escape), when he hijacked a car in the affluent Johannesburg suburb of Craighall. Unknown to Mathe, the vehicle was fitted with a satellite tracking device, which led police and private security companies to Mathe after a chase which saw him being shot three times in the leg and buttocks.
Mathe was found guilty on 64 of 71 charges including rape, attempted rape, attempted murder, robbery and theft, and was sentenced to 54 years imprisonment with a minimum of 43 years. Six prison wardens linked to his latest escape were dismissed.