Annanias Mathe, one the country's most notorious criminals, tried to escape again from the Local Pretoria prison, two years after his escape from C-Max Prison, the Correctional Services Portfolio Committee said on Friday.

Spokesperson Dennis Bloem said Mathe tried to escape early on Friday morning after prison warders found him outside his cell at 2am.

"Mathe was a prisoner under 24-hour official prison guard. He has to have someone watching him every second," said Bloem.

"He also has to wear hand and leg chains at all times. How could he possibly be found out of his cell?"

The portfolio committee will hold an urgent meeting with the Department of Correctional Services to request an investigation.

"We are viewing this matter in a very serious light," said Bloem.

Mathe, from Mozambique, was the first person to escape from Pretoria's C-Max high security prison in 2006. He faced more than 70 charges including housebreaking, theft, indecent assault, robbery and attempted rape.

Nine correctional services officials were suspended at the time of his escape.

He was recaptured in 2007.

Sapa