"We believe he violated his parole conditions," said Wolela.

Former Hard Livings gang leader Rashied Staggie's parole has been revoked, Correctional Services said on Thursday.

"The department of correctional services... wishes to confirm that offender Staggie, who is on day-parole, was taken back this morning from his employer and is currently incarcerated at the Pollsmoor Correctional Centre," said spokesman Manelisi Wolela.

"We believe he violated his parole conditions," said Wolela.

He said the matter was under investigation and standard procedures and processes would be followed, including his appearance before the Case Management Committee and the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board.

Staggie was sentenced in 2003 to 15 years in prison on charges of kidnapping and rape, and in 2004, he received another 13 years' for gun theft from a police armoury.

The sentences ran concurrently, and he served 11 years before his release on day parole in September.

Staggie reportedly signed a party membership form of the newly-formed Patriotic Alliance on Sunday.

The Patriotic Alliance was launched in November by ex-convict Gayton McKenzie and his former jail mate and businessman Kenny Kunene.

It was reported on Monday, that McKenzie had praised Staggie as a leader who could benefit his newly formed political party.

"For me, Rashied Staggie is a leader. There are many people he can save," The Star quoted him as saying.

"I've been personally responsible for Rashied since he has been out of jail. I have been talking to him. I've been learning from him."

eNCA reported on Thursday that Staggie's role in the party had sparked the move to revoke his parole.

It reported that one of his parole conditions was that he did not associate with gangsters, and that by joining the party's ranks, he was inadvertently doing so.