Why Britain rejected the Cape as a convict destination

Why was the Cape Colony rejected as a destination for British convicts?

Officials feared escape by land and could not assume that convicts would support Britain rather than France during fighting.

The Cape Colony appeared unsuitable as a destination for British convicts for two security reasons. Officials feared that transported people might attempt an overland return, making confinement less certain than on an isolated Pacific settlement. War with France posed a second problem because armed conflict could reach the colony. British planners were unsure whether convicts would defend them or assist the French. Distance and political reliability therefore shaped the choice of New South Wales alongside its naval value.