Not less than two of the 16 prisoners that escaped from a Johannesburg prison on Monday have been shot dead by South African police.

The police told the South African news site that their officers stopped the car the suspects were travelling in, but then came under fire, which they returned. 

The suspects had a 9mm pistol and a toy gun, the news site adds.

 The prisoners, who were all awaiting trial included murder and rape suspects, broke through iron bars and windows before escaping through the fence of the jail known as "Sun City".