KwaZulu-Natal police nab rape suspect after he faked illness and escaped from custody
Police officers with the rearrested suspect (face obscured). He appeared in court on charges of rape on Thursday.
Image: Supplied by SAPS
KwaZulu-Natal police have rearrested a 28-year-old rape suspect who escaped from police custody earlier this week after being nabbed in connection with the rape of learners from an Nkandla high school.
According to KZN police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda, the suspect was originally arrested by Mariannhill police for multiple rape cases in the Ekhombe policing area. These cases involved learners who reside in cottages at the school.
While being transported to a correctional facility on Monday, 20 May 2025, the suspect complained of an asthma attack and fainted. “When the police were busy assisting him, the suspect escaped and ran into the darkness. A dedicated team was established to track him down,” said Colonel Netshiunda.
Following a province-wide manhunt, police successfully tracked the suspect to a hostel in Umbilo on Thursday morning.
“Police have rearrested the 28-year-old rape suspect who escaped from police custody in Mariannhill on Monday, following his arrest earlier on the day. Police’s relentless search for the suspect located him at a hostel in Umbilo on Thursday morning,” confirmed Colonel Netshiunda.
The suspect appeared in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on a charge of escaping from lawful custody. He will be transferred to Ekhombe to face several charges of rape.
The suspect’s original arrest came after a coordinated effort by law enforcement and community members in Nkandla.
Both Premier Thami Ntuli and Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka have condemned the crimes and praised the community and police for their roles in the arrest.
The Department of Education has deployed psychologists to support the affected learners and their families, and officials have reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring schools remain safe spaces.