On March 29th, 2023, news outlets reported on the ongoing saga surrounding Dr Nandipha Magudumana and Thabo Bester, also known as the “Facebook Rapist”. The couple made headlines after fleeing from their rented home in Hyde Park, Johannesburg, leaving behind their possessions [1].
Bester, who was serving a life sentence for rape and murder at the Mangaung Correctional Centre, managed to escape from prison on May 3rd, 2022, by setting a fire in his cell [5]. Since then, reports have emerged linking Magudumana to Bester and alleging that she may have helped him escape [2].
Recent developments suggest that Bester may still be alive, despite reports of his death after the prison fire [1]. GroundUp has published a photo allegedly showing Magudumana alongside a man resembling Bester, captured nearly two months after his reported death [3].
Magudumana, a celebrity doctor, has also been suspended from practicing medicine by the Health Professions Council of South Africa [9]. Reports have emerged linking Bester to multiple businesses run by Magudumana [4].
On March 23rd, 2023, Magudumana was reportedly in the process of having her possessions removed from her rented mansion in Hyde Park when a quarrel broke out with the landlord [10]. Meanwhile, her brother, Nkosinathi Sekeleni, has declined to comment on his sister’s relationship with Bester [8].