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Initially, it was reported that 69 prisoners had escaped Friday, Most of the group had been apprehended.
The last three prisoners still wanted were arrested on Saturday in Laaiplek on the West Coast and in Riebeek-Kasteel, among others.
One is from Laaiplek and is serving a prison sentence for possession of equipment used to carry out house burglaries. The other two are from Riebeek-West. One of them is serving a prison sentence for burglary and theft and the other one, who has also escaped before, is in jail for escape and assault.
A reliable source said the man who was arrested in Laaiplek went into hiding with people there after he apparently drove there. Members of the public who saw the photos of the last six prisoners who were wanted on Friday and published in Die Burger and on Netwerk24, among others, recognized him and went to the local police on Saturday.
They gave the address where he might be. When the police arrived at the house, however, he was not there, after which he was found in a building next door.
The last two escapees were arrested on Saturday evening and early Sunday around 02:00 in the mountains and veld around Riebeek-Kasteel.
Meanwhile, people have said on social media that the people of Malmesbury are the heroes in the saga.
Johann Maarman of Malmesbury was in town on Friday afternoon when homeless people pointed out some of the escaped prisoners hiding under a bridge. Some of the prisoners stole some of the homeless people’s clothes and dressed in an attempt to disguise themselves.
According to Maarman, the one homeless man shouted at them when the police arrested the men: “You can keep my jacket with your dirt hole, I do not want it anymore!”
Residents of the town also carried out civil arrests.
According to rumors on social media, residents of the area known as “Little Houses” also arrested prisoners, but some of them were allegedly assaulted before the police were called and the escapees handed over.
A video also made the rounds on social media on Friday night of residents of Wesbank pointing out a place among the bushes where some of the escaped prisoners hid.
The police then took out two men who looked like a large pipe.
