Thabo Bester moved to eBongweni super max as prison authorities tighten grip after escape scandal

Thabo Bester transferred to the eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Centre in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal

Convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester has been transferred to the eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Centre in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal.

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) confirmed on Friday that Bester was quietly relocated from his previous facility following a fresh security risk assessment.

The transfer was carried out without prior notice to his legal team, who only became aware of the move after a family friend arrived at his former prison to visit him and was told he was no longer there.

DCS spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said the relocation was done in line with established procedures and stressed that Bester’s rights would not be compromised.

“The transfer of offender Thabo Bester to eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Facility was conducted according to established security and operational protocols,” Nxumalo said.

He added that Bester would continue to have access to legal representation, family communication and ongoing court processes.

eBongweni, often referred to as C-Max, is regarded as one of the most secure prisons in the country.

Inmates are subjected to near-total isolation, intense surveillance and strict limits on movement and privileges.

Officials believe the facility is better suited to manage Bester, whose ability to manipulate systems from behind bars became evident long before his escape.

Bester is serving a life sentence for murder and rape after being convicted in 2012.

He gained notoriety as the so-called “Facebook rapist” for luring women with fake modelling opportunities before attacking them.

His crimes culminated in the rape and murder of his girlfriend, model Nomfundo Tyhulu, in a Cape Town guesthouse.

In May 2022, while incarcerated at the privately run Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein, Bester staged one of the most audacious prison escapes in the country’s history by faking his death during a fire in his cell.

A charred body initially believed to be his was later identified through DNA testing as belonging to another man, exposing deep failures within the prison system.

Bester fled the country with the help of accomplices, including his partner Dr Nandipha Magudumana, and lived under false identities until the pair were arrested in Arusha, Tanzania, in April 2023.

Their escape and capture triggered national outrage, multiple investigations and significant costs for the state.

Since his return to South Africa, Bester has been involved in a series of legal battles, including failed attempts to challenge media coverage of his case and to secure improved prison conditions such as access to a laptop for his studies.

His lawyers have now raised concerns about the lack of notice surrounding his latest transfer, arguing that it could affect his access to legal support.

Bester’s relocation also places him among a small group of high-profile inmates held at eBongweni, including alleged crime kingpin Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, who was transferred there in December following his own security assessment.

As authorities continue to deal with the fallout from Bester’s escape, his move to eBongweni is being viewed as a decisive step to prevent any repeat of past failures and to restore public confidence in the correctional system.