The Department of Correctional Services in the Eastern Cape said its investigating gross negligence on the part of officials at the Mdantsane Correctional Centre.
This after four sentenced prisoners aged between 18 and 22, escaped from the facility on Wednesday morning after inmates were served breakfast.
The escapees had apparently tampered with the locks on the gates in the prison to make their escape.
And, according to the Eastern Cape Correctional Services Commissioner, Nkosinathi Breakfast, their prison clothes were also found outside the facility, which is home to more than 900 inmates.
He said while collusion on the part of officials was not immediately apparent, but will be part of the investigation, Breakfast said that there was gross negligence on the part of some prison officials.
"The only thing now that I can confirm, as I was there myself, is that there was gross negligence on the part of our officials because they left those offenders unsupervised. That's how they escaped. And also the fact that they tampered with the locks on the gates and doors and how that is possible in the presence of our officials," Breakfast said.
Commissioner Breakfast said it's suspected the escapees may have been tampering with the locks in the courtyard and the external gates for some time.
But, he said their investigation is still continuing and will reveal a complete picture.
