South Africa's Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald has suspended senior correctional services officials as the Hawks investigate alleged fraud linked to a coal supply tender. According to The Citizen, a criminal case has been officially registered with the Hawks, the country's elite crime-fighting unit. The suspensions and the criminal probe mark an escalation in the handling of the alleged tender irregularities within the department, though further details of the investigation have not been disclosed.

The Uganda Prisons Service has promoted 258 senior officers, appointed new managers, and implemented transfers while directing several officers to take accumulated leave. This initiative aims to enhance professionalism, operational efficiency, and service delivery within the institution, according to Frank Baine Mayanja, the Senior Commissioner of Prisons responsible for Cooperation and Corporate Affairs.

Eight employees at Rooigrond Maximum Correctional Centre have received notices of contemplated suspension after inmate Edward Khomotso Madiba escaped from a single cell by cutting through a burglar-bar door, according to Sowetan. The provided report does not say when the escape occurred, whether Madiba has been rearrested, what evidence prompted the notices, or what final disciplinary action may follow.

South African police have arrested more than 16,000 suspects during a nationwide crime crackdown, SABC News reports. According to Lieutenant Colonel Vincent Mukhathi, the coordinated operations dealt a significant blow to illicit trade across the country. Details on the specific charges, duration of the crackdown and the provinces involved were not disclosed, but police framed the arrests as a major success in efforts to curb criminal activity and illegal commerce in South Africa.

Law enforcement agencies in South Africa have launched a manhunt after a prisoner identified as Madiba escaped from the Rooigrond Maximum Correctional Centre near Mahikeng on Sunday. According to The Citizen, as many as eight officials could face suspension in connection with the escape, and the Department of Correctional Services is involved in the search effort. The circumstances of the escape, including how the inmate managed to flee the maximum-security facility, have not been detailed in the report.

Mkhwanazi has addressed allegations concerning his involvement in systemic criminality and corruption within the EMPD, including issues related to fake police clearances, fraudulent badges, and a R14 million stolen gems heist, during the Madlanga commission hearings.