Sunday World learned that the Department of Correctional Services was probing allegations that Mbatha drew a plan that included the geography and escape routes around the Zonderwater Prison where both of them are imprisoned.
Correctional Services spokesman Manelisi Wolela said: "We cannot refute or confirm those allegations as investigations are at a very critical stage. We will communicate the outcome of our investigations at an appropriate time."
Relating the matter to Sunday World, a Correctional Services official, who did not want to be named because he was not allowed to speak to the media, said one of the four inmates who were supposed to escape with Krejcir blew Mbatha's cover to prison authorities.
The official said the prisoner told the authorities that Krejcir requested one of the warders to walk him to Mbatha's cells because he wanted him to advise him on how to interdict the department from transferring him to another correctional centre.
"Mbatha had previously successfully interdicted the department from removing him from Zonderwater to Leeuwkop Prison in Joburg and Krecjir knew about it. So he told the warder to take him there as he wanted to do the same.
"He said because he was supposed to be sentenced on the 11th of September, he was scared that he would be transferred afterwards. So the warder fell for his story and walked him to Mbatha's cell, a move that is against our policies.
"When there, Krejcir asked Mbatha, who comes from Tshwane, to help him draw a plan about the surrounding environment of the prison as he wanted to escape and he obliged," said the official.
The official said one of the prisoners who was supposed to flee with Krejcir leaked the information on Friday after suspecting that the alleged underworld boss would kill them after escaping from custody.
"He said he spoke to the other three prisoners and expressed his concerns after Krejcir told them he was going to wear a warder uniform while they should remain in their prison uniform when they escape. He said he suspected Krejcir was going to use them as human shields," said the official.
The official also said one of the biggest concerns from the prisoner who sang to the authorities was that Krejcir had planned to use a chopper to quickly get out of South Africa's borders.
"But he said he found it hard to believe him as a chopper can only carry a few people. He feared that Krejcir was going to kill them once he had boarded the chopper," said the official.
Another official from the department told Sunday World that four brand-new orange Ford Focus STs without number plates were spotted at a shopping complex near the prison on Friday afternoon.
"We suspect the cars were part of the escape plan and that is also being investigated," he said.
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