SA Villain of the Year: Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magudumana
The couple wins this title because of their heinous crimes – and because of what their sorry tale says about the state and our broader society.
Rebecca Davis
30 December 2023
Convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester escaped from Mangaung Correctional Centre on 3 May 2022 with the help of his accomplice, Nandipha Magudumana. Read the latest developments below.
The couple wins this title because of their heinous crimes – and because of what their sorry tale says about the state and our broader society.
Looking back on the year that was, some of those who occupied centre stage shouldn’t find it too difficult to choose options for doing better in 2024. But, in case they’re still clueless, here’s some help.
Eight months since the highly publicised Parliamentary hearing, little action has been taken by Parliament or Correctional Services.
Thabo Bester’s prison escape was one of the biggest South African stories of the year. It not only exposed the elaborately orchestrated prison escape of a convicted rapist and murderer, but also the country’s faulty justice system. A Daily Maverick webinar examined how Bester’s escape could have been prevented if the justice system valued competence.
Charges against three of the 12 accused have also been withdrawn.
Facebook rapist Thabo Bester wants to ‘avoid being prosecuted by and in the media’, according to his lawyers.
Bloemfontein magistrate says ‘nothing would stand in her way’ to assist Bester escape again.
The infamous murderer and rapist’s lover says he forced her to flee with him, but an investigating officer has found plenty of holes in her story.
Bester says possessions, which he claims are worth R40-million, were confiscated during his arrest.
Judge finds Nandipha’s appeal has no reasonable prospect for success.
But, police advocate argues: ‘She wanted to come home, she came home.’
The much-publicised case of body swapping to assist Thabo Bester’s breakout from a maximum-security prison and his escape from South Africa with fake travel credentials has exposed one of the enduring problems bedevilling the country today — the digital divide.
Judge rules they are not a flight risk and unlikely to interfere with witnesses.
All 12 suspects are expected back in court in August for start of the main criminal trial.
The case has been postponed again until August for further investigation.
Zanda Moyo will join eight others in the criminal trial on 20 June.
But the state made mistakes and almost lost the case.
The partner of ‘Facebook rapist’ Thabo Bester claims she was ‘abducted’ in Tanzania by South African authorities.
The fifth applicant, Nastassja Jansen, was granted R10,000 bail.
Department of Home Affairs officially joins as a respondent.
A decision on the bail applications of Thabo Bester’s co-accused is expected on Monday.
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