JOHANNESBURG – Convicted murderer, rapist, and notorious prison escapee Thabo Bester has launched a fresh legal challenge against his detention at South Africa’s eBongweni Super-Maximum Correctional Facility in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal. Dubbed the “Facebook Rapist,” Bester, who dramatically escaped Mangaung Correctional Centre in 2022 with the help of Dr. Nandipha Magudumana, now seeks a transfer back to a Gauteng facility like Kgosi Mampuru II in Pretoria.
In court papers filed late last month, Bester argues that his ongoing supermax confinement severely hampers his ability to prepare for his upcoming trial, set for case management on March 18, 2026, and full hearings from July 20 to September 18. His attorney, Courage Morero, claims the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) failed to provide prior notice or reasons for the January transfer, rendering it unlawful and infringing on his right to legal consultations. Bester demands an urgent interdict blocking further out-of-province moves during his Bloemfontein proceedings, insisting on Gauteng placement for logistical ease.
The DCS defends the relocation, citing critical security risks after Bester’s prior escapes and associations, like with co-inmate Vusumuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala. Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale emphasized that eBongweni’s stringent measures protect inmates and staff, with arrangements in place for uninterrupted court access. Bester’s earlier February bid was struck off the Pretoria High Court roll for lack of urgency by Judge Kubushi, but he persists, highlighting 23-hour solitary confinement as unconstitutional.
Public outrage mounts over Bester’s repeated courtroom maneuvers, with many questioning taxpayer costs amid his life sentences for rape, murder, and fraud. Legal experts note his strategy tests DCS powers, but supermax protocols remain firm against high-risk offenders. As the Pretoria High Court schedules hearings, Bester’s fate hangs in balance, fueling debates on justice, security, and rehabilitation in South Africa’s correctional system