A team of detectives is leading a manhunt for three men, convicted of killing a Gauteng family, who escaped from the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, police said on Monday.
On Thursday last week, Lindelani Nyathi, Bukelani Nyathi and Qiniso Dladla were each sentenced to four life sentences.
Police spokesperson Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said the men had been convicted of murdering a Lawley woman, her son, daughter and daughter-in-law. They were all shot dead in August 2016.
"[They] escaped while they were being taken into the truck transporting the prisoners between Johannesburg High Court and Johannesburg Correctional Services," he said.
"A criminal investigation, as well as an internal investigation, are being conducted to determine if there is any person(s) who may have been responsible for assisting the prisoners to escape."
Dlamini said the circumstances relating to the escape would be released once their investigation had been concluded.
"The SAPS provincial management is conducting a high-level investigation to make sure that those who might have assisted the prisoners to escape should face the full might of the law," Dlamini said.