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Convicted criminal and serial escapee Annanias Mathe nearly broke out of the Ebongweni C-Max prison, near Kokstad last week.
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.
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 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.
