Cape Town - Gauteng police have confirmed that a suspect seen in a widely circulated video escaping from Jeppe Magistrate’s Court in Johannesburg, has been rearrested after being on the run.
The video, which has sparked outrage on social media, shows a man climbing out of the windows on the multi-storey building.
He can be seen sliding down onto the railings, landing on another floor, then jumping on the ground, falling and running away.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, confirmed to IOL News that the incident occurred on Tuesday.
“The suspect escaped yesterday, when he was appearing at Jeppe Magistrate's Court on a charge of housebreaking and theft,” Nevhuhulwi said.
After the escape, the men and women in blue launched a manhunt for the suspect.
“He was rearrested today, February 19, 2025, at Malvern by the Jeppe tracing team and will be further charged with escape from lawful custody,” Nevhuhulwi added.
Last year on December 12, IOL News reported that police had rearrested two of three suspects who are awaiting trial after they escaped from Swartruggens police holding cells in the North West.
The suspects, initially four, escaped on December 8. Police managed to rearrest one of them immediately after the escape.
Police said the suspects escaped through the roof of their detention cell.
"Police managed to trace and arrest one of the escapees, aged 23, while hiking next to the N4 road, near Swartruggens plaza," police said at the time.
Three days later, police managed to rearrest Johannes Mfaladi, 28, after getting assistance from a local farmer after they found him hiding at a farm in Swartruggens.
Mfaladi has been charged with assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm.
On the same day, they arrested Mpho Vincent Madito, 29, at Boschhoek. He is facing four charges of rape.
Police said they were still looking for Thapelo Mogwele Molebatsi, 25, who had been detained for theft.