Madlanga Commission Hears Thabo Bester Repeatedly Sought Private Meetings With National Commissioner
- Correctional Services National Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale testified before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry
- Thobakgale touched on how convicted murderer Thabo Bester made multiple attempts to secure one-on-one access to him
- Thabo Bester is currently incarcerated at the eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Facility in Kokstad
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
GAUTENG — Thabo Bester's name has surfaced before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
National Commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services, Makgothi Thobakgale, told the Commission that the convicted rapist and murderer had made repeated attempts to speak with him privately.
Thobakgale testified about Bester's attempts while discussing how some high-profile inmates attempt to leverage private access to senior officials, and whether such influence attempts could create openings for corruption or syndicate infiltration within the department.
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Thobakgale says Bester was always redirected to formal processes
Testifying before the Commission on 17 September 2026, the National Commissioner stated that he had always declined to engage with Bester outside established institutional channels.
"I can give an example of inmate Thabo Bester, who has tried a number of times to get my attention alone. And I've always referred him to the complaints and requests processes. And always insisted that it is better if a representation is put in writing," Thobakgale told the commission.
He said he would only engage directly with inmates under one narrow set of circumstances — where that inmate could provide information implicating officials and needed protection from intimidation.
"And I always do that with my head of security," he added.
Bester, who was convicted of rape and murder, is currently incarcerated at the eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Facility in Kokstad. He previously escaped from Mangaung Prison in 2022 by staging his own death.
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What you need to know about Thabo Bester's case
- Dr Nandipha Magudumana claimed that Bester forced her to flee South Africa.
- The Bloemfontein Magistrates' Court denied Magudumana bail, stating that she was a flight risk.
- The state dropped its case against former G4S employee Natassja Jansen in October of the same year.
- Documents leaked in February 2024 exposed an array of criminal activities in prison linked to Bester.
- An analyst said that Magudumana was distancing herself from Bester after they appeared in court in June 2024.
Bester is unhappy with prison conditions
Briefly News reported that Bester expressed unhappiness with his conditions behind bars ahead of his upcoming trial.
The convicted murderer and rapist is currently incarcerated in Kgoši Mampuru II Correctional Facility's C-Max section.
South Africans shared their thoughts on social media about Bester's application and his complaints about prison.
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Source: Briefly News
