A high-risk suspect who escaped from police custody in Limpopo has been rearrested in Mpumalanga following a four-day manhunt. Tumelo Raledi, 34, was apprehended in the early hours of Thursday, April 30, 2026, after fleeing a hospital where he was receiving medical treatment under guard.
Raledi managed to flee the Maphuta Malatji Hospital in the Mopani District at approximately 9:30pm on Sunday, April 26. Given his history of violent crime, authorities considered him a significant threat to public safety and immediately launched a large-scale search operation.
Background and Charges
Raledi is a high-priority suspect facing a string of serious charges allegedly committed between 2023 and 2025 in the Namakgale area. The Limpopo Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, praised the collaboration between the public and law enforcement agencies in the Mpumalanga province.
According to the South African Police Service, the successful rearrest of Raledi was a result of tips from concerned citizens. At approximately 3:30am on Thursday, police located Raledi at a hideout in the Bushbuckridge policing area. Officers moved quickly to secure the vicinity and took the suspect back into custody without further incident.
Next Steps
Raledi is expected to appear in the Namakgale Magistrate’s Court on Monday, May 4, 2026, where he will face an additional charge of escaping from lawful custody alongside his pending violent crime cases. The community is urged to continue reporting any suspicious activities to the authorities.
For more information on the role of the community in combating crime, visit the Judiciary of South Africa website. The following are some ways to report crime:
- Contact the local police station
- Use the Crime Stop hotline
- Report online through the SAPS website
