The truth about Nandipha Magudumana and Thabo Bester’s controversial relationship

The story of Dr Nandipha Magudumana and Thabo Bester reads like a plot straight out of a crime thriller. From a prison romance to a daring escape, their saga captivated South Africans and sparked widespread media attention. Here’s everything you need to know about their controversial relationship and criminal activities.

Who is Thabo Bester?

Thabo Bester, born on June 13, 1986, in Soweto, is a convicted rapist and murderer in South Africa, infamously known as the “Facebook Rapist” for luring victims through social media. He was imprisoned in 2012 for rape and murder, and while in custody, he created a fake media company and online persona to maintain influence and connections outside prison walls. Notably, Bester had no official identity documents for most of his life, only receiving his first South African ID at age 36 in May 2023.

Who is Nandipha Magudumana?

Dr Nandipha Magudumana is a qualified medical doctor, specialising in dermatology and cosmetic surgery. Before her involvement with Bester, she had a successful practice called Optimum Medical Aesthetics Solutions in Sandton and was recognised as one of South Africa’s 20 most influential young people by 2018. Despite being married to Dr Mkhuseli Magudumana at the time, she developed a relationship with Bester while he was incarcerated, ultimately becoming deeply involved in his criminal schemes.

The Prison Romance and Escape Plot

Magudumana and Bester’s relationship began while he was serving his sentence at the privately managed Mangaung Correctional Centre. She allegedly visited him regularly under the alias of his mentor “TK Nkwana”, and together they co-founded Arum Properties, a company later implicated in fraud schemes. Driven by her attraction and possibly a phenomenon known as ‘hybristophilia’—a psychological interest in criminals—Magudumana actively participated in Bester’s elaborate escape plan.

In May 2022, Bester executed an audacious prison escape with extensive help from corrupted prison staff. Magudumana reportedly procured multiple bodies from mortuaries to replace Bester in his burning prison cell. Initial attempts failed spectacularly, with one body ending up floating in a river with the mortuary tag still attached to its toe. Eventually, a third body—later identified as Katlego Bereng, a 30-year-old father of two who had died from blunt force trauma to the head—was smuggled into the prison with the help of bribed guards, allowing Bester to escape unnoticed while the cell was set ablaze.

Read also: Why is Nandipha Magudumana fighting Netflix over her father?

Life on the Run

After his escape, Bester lived openly with Magudumana in Johannesburg, initially in a property in Coleraine Park before moving to a R12 million Hyde Park mansion that they rented for over R40,000 per month. They maintained an outrageously lavish lifestyle, purchasing luxury items including a black Porsche Cayenne, designer clothing, watches, and jewellery worth millions. Despite being fugitives, they were brazenly photographed publicly, including on a now-infamous shopping trip to Woolworths in Sandton in June 2022, where Bester wore only designer sunglasses as a disguise.

Flight and Arrest

In March 2023, following a groundbreaking exposé by investigative journalists Marecia Damons and Daniel Steyn from GroundUp, Bester and Magudumana’s world came crashing down. Realising their cover was blown, they fled South Africa via the Beitbridge border to Zimbabwe, then through Zambia, ultimately reaching Tanzania. They were arrested in Arusha on April 8, 2023, while carrying multiple false passports, including stolen documents belonging to Dr Mmereka Ntshani (known as “Dr Pashy”). They were deported to South Africa in a private jet shortly after, arriving at Lanseria Airport under heavy police guard.

Legal Proceedings and Current Status

Magudumana and her father, Zolile Sekeleni, along with several former G4S prison employees, including Senohe Matsoara, Tebogo James Lipholo, Buti Masukela, and Natassja Jansen, have been implicated in assisting Bester’s escape. Magudumana faces charges including aiding and abetting an escaped prisoner, murder (in connection with Katlego Bereng’s death), fraud, and violation of a corpse. Despite multiple bail applications being denied, she has consistently claimed innocence, alleging she was coerced by Bester.

The legal proceedings have been complex and drawn out. Magudumana’s attempts to challenge her deportation from Tanzania have been unsuccessful, with the Supreme Court of Appeal recently rejecting her latest bid. The main trial commenced on February 10, 2025, with both Bester and Magudumana facing their charges in what has become one of South Africa’s most closely watched criminal trials.

Netflix Documentary Controversy

In August 2025, the case took an unexpected turn when both Bester and Magudumana launched legal challenges against Netflix’s upcoming documentary “Beauty and the Bester”, scheduled to premiere on September 12, 2025. Bester approached the Pretoria High Court seeking to interdict the release, claiming the documentary infringes on his constitutional rights, including the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial. He argues that the trailer and promotional materials portray him as guilty before any verdict has been reached.

Magudumana has expressed particular distress about her father’s inclusion in the documentary, instructing her lawyers to file urgent court papers to prevent Sekeleni from appearing in the series. Her legal team argues the documentary is “distressing and potentially harmful” to both Magudumana and her family, risking reputational damage and prejudicing ongoing legal proceedings. This follows earlier unsuccessful attempts by both accused to block Showmax’s documentary “Tracking Thabo Bester”.

Psychological Perspective

The relationship between Magudumana and Bester has raised compelling questions about why a highly successful professional would risk everything for a convicted criminal. Psychologists point to hybristophilia, a condition where individuals are sexually or emotionally attracted to criminals. First researched by sexologist John Money in 1986, this phenomenon can range from passive admiration to active participation in criminal activities. In Magudumana’s case, experts suggest this may explain her apparent willingness to become an active accomplice in Bester’s crimes, transforming from a respected medical professional into a criminal conspirator.

The Wider Impact

The case exposed serious flaws in South Africa’s private prison system, leading to the termination of G4S’s contract at Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2023. The scandal also highlighted issues with mortuary security, identity document systems, and prison oversight. The investigative work by GroundUp journalists became a landmark example of how independent media can uncover major institutional failures.

Conclusion

The saga of Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magudumana remains one of South Africa’s most extraordinary and evolving criminal cases. From their initial prison romance to the elaborate escape plan, luxurious fugitive lifestyle, international flight, and now their legal battles against media portrayals, the case continues to generate headlines and public fascination. The recent Netflix documentary controversy adds another layer to their story, highlighting the ongoing tension between public interest and the rights of the accused.

As the February 2025 trial proceedings continue, South Africa continues to follow not just the pursuit of justice for the victims—particularly Katlego Bereng and his family—but answers to the profound questions this case raises about human psychology, institutional corruption, media ethics, and the dangerous intersection of romance and criminality. The case serves as a stark reminder that even the most successful individuals can become entangled in criminal enterprises when psychological factors and poor judgement converge, while also raising important questions about how high-profile criminal cases should be portrayed in the media during ongoing legal proceedings.