Thabo Bester and Dr Nandipha: Abandoned Merc at Zim Border Raises Questions About Possible Escape Plan

• Escaped convict Thabo Bester and his girlfriend, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, are still on the run from authorities
• A confusing trip across the Zimbabwean border by Dr Nandipha has people speculating if the couple are still in South Africa at all
• A specialist investigator believes the pair may have already slipped into one of SA's neighbouring countries

JOHANNESBURG - While South African authorities are scrambling to find fugitive Thabo Bester and his girlfriend, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, a shocking revelation raises a fundamental question:

Are Bester and Dr Nandipha still in South Africa?

Dr Nandipha drives luxury Mercedes Benz into Zimbabwe and leaves it there

The Citizen revealed that Bester's girlfriend drove a R1.3 million Mercedes Benz across the Zimbabwean border and inexplicably left it there before crossing back into South Africa on foot.

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Police Minister Bheki Cele says police will find Thabo Bester and they have clues, South Africans unconvinced

The baffling and short cross-country trip is said to have taken place around 17 January 2023.

The move has raised speculation that the trip formed part of an intricate escape plan that involved the couple skipping the country.

Dr Nandipha bought the Merc in 2022 but didn't keep up with payments

Details of the abandoned luxury Merc and possible border escape plan were only revealed because Dr Nandipha defaulted on paying for the vehicle after purchasing it in 2022.

The dealership where Dr Nandipha bought the vehicle enlisted the services of a security and investigations firm in a bid to recover the defaulted payments and track down the car.

Mark Strydom from Striker Investigations told The Citizen that investigations led the private investigator to the Beitbridge border post between South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Strydom obtained video footage of Dr Nandipha crossing the border in the vehicle and returning to SA on foot. She later walked to a garage, where she was picked up by another car.

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According to the publication, the dealership has possession of the video but is unwilling to share it.

Zimbabwean border officials confirm Dr Nandipha's Merc was fitted with fake Zim number plates

Further investigations revealed that at the time of the crossing, the vehicle raised red flags for Zimbabwean border officials because it was fitted with fake Zim number plates registered to a Toyota.

When the officials tried to confront Dr Nandipha, she allegedly evaded them and slipped back into South Africa.

Are Thabo Bester and Dr Nandipha still in South Africa?

The complicated and puzzling story of the border crossing has many doubting the couple are still in the country.

Speaking to eNCA, specialist investigator Mike Bolhuis said that it was highly likely that Bester had already skipped the country.

Bolhuis said that given Bester's reach of influence and access to large sums of money, the couple could already be in one of SA's neighbouring countries.

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South Africans believe Dr Nandipha is the real mastermind behind Thabo Bester's escape

Below are some comments:

@spoon369 said:

"Clearly reenacting Bonnie and Clyde's love story. She musn't delay the inevitable, law enforcement wants to give her a hug."

@Yeezy_Dizzle exclaimed:

"So Nandipha is a scammer, what a brave woman!"

@Ta_ATM_ insisted:

"She’s the real mastermind."

@BossLadyQueen_ claimed:

"I believe Nandipha has always been twisted. She has many buried bodies, this one. Bester just added some petrol to her already dark life with the money."

@alanpeter796 speculated:

"I would think they will need a decent car to get around on the other side of the border, right?"

Thabo Bester and Dr Nandipha: Border authorities told to look out for fugitives who might leave South Africa

In a related story, Briefly News reported that Thabo Bester and Dr Nandipha are still on the run and police are running out of options to apprehend them.

Read also

Thabo Bester: Police search R12 million mansion fugitive used as hideout, SA shocked by pics of forensic team

The two escaped from their rented home in Johannesburg after it was discovered that Thabo Bester faked his own death and escaped from prison.

The convicted murderer has been hiding in plain sight using a new name and fraudulent documents.

Source: Briefly News