Thabo Bester: Govt Spent R1.4m on Private Jet for Bester and Dr Nandipha, SA Divided by 5-Star Treatment

• Thabo Bester and Dr Nandipha Magudumana travelled back to South Africa from Tanzania in style
• The Department of Home Affairs spent R1.4 million to charter a private jet for the repatriation of the fugitive couple
• South Africans are in two minds about the cost of the private jet; some believe it is exorbitant, while others believe it is worth it to bring the pair home

JOHANNESBURG - Thabo Bester and Dr Nandipha Magudumana's repatriation to South Africa cost taxpayers a cool R14 million.

This is how much the government splurged on a private jet to transport South Africa's Bonnie and Clyde back into the country from Tanzania.

The pair fled South Africa after the house of cards surrounding Bester's elaborate escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre tumbled.

Aaron Motsoaledi confirms cost of jet chartered for Thabo Bester and Dr Nandipha

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Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said his department chartered the private jet on the insistence of Tanzanian authorities, IOL reported.

Motsoaledi added that the jet was also used to transport 14 other officials who had travelled to the East African country to fetch the fugitives.

According to eNCA, Motsoaledi said that the backlash Home Affairs is receiving was unwarranted because the department chose the cheapest option available to it.

South Africans are divided by the R1.4m private jet chartered for Bester and Magudumana

While some citizens are floored by the fugitive couple's five-star treatment, others said the only thing that matters is that the pair were brought back to face justice.

Below are some comments:

@Banele_C asked:

"Genuine question: What other options do we have in such cases? Because a commercial flight was not gonna work."

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@Dawn_stha exclaimed:

"R1.4m!! What the actual hell... At that rate, we could have just left them in Tanzania."

@Afriforeal2 said:

"It doesn’t really matter. It is my tax, after all, and the fugitive is in jail, and I am happy because that was done quickly..."

@DRensberg said:

"Fraudsters and murderers get five-star treatment, true SA story!"

@MKourine claimed:

"Worth every penny."

@Iwanttoknow50 suggested:

"G4S must be sent this bill."

Dr Nandipha Magudumana forced to reveal her face during 2nd appearance in Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court

Previously, Briefly News reported that disgraced celebrity aesthetician Dr Nandipha Magudumana finally revealed her entire face after the magistrate in the Bloemfontein court forced her to remove her mask and hoodie.

The reveal South Africans have been waiting for occurred on 17 April when Magudumana, her father and two others appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court for formal bail applications.

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Thabo Bester: Video of Dr Nandipha Magudumana's "mother" crying in court garners SA's sympathy

Magudumana has been shielding her face from view by sporting a white face mask and a hood drawn tightly around her face since she landed in South Africa on Thursday, 13 April.

Source: Briefly News