Africa-Press – Zambia. Thabo Bester demands improved prison conditions
Convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester has launched a fresh legal bid demanding improved prison conditions, arguing that his current treatment is unconstitutional, according to City Press.
Bester who infamously faked his death to escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre in 2022 is challenging the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) in the Johannesburg High Court.
He claims his status as a sentenced inmate should be reviewed and that he should be granted rights similar to those awaiting trial, including contact visits with family and legal representatives, report City Press.
The man known as the “Facebook R*pist” was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012 for rape, robbery, and the murder of his girlfriend, model Nomfundo Tyhulu. His dramatic escape drew national attention when a body later identified as Katlego Bereng Mpholo was found in his burned cell. Bester was captured nearly a year later in Tanzania together with his partner, Dr Nandipha Magudumana.
This is not Bester’s first complaint about his treatment. Previously, he alleged he was kept in near-solitary confinement at the Kgosi Mampuru II C-Max facility, claiming harsh conditions affected his mental health.
The DCS has dismissed his latest claims, insisting Bester receives standard treatment for a maximum-security inmate. The department emphasised that solitary confinement is not practised in South Africa and said high-security prisoners are housed individually as a matter of routine, not punishment.
Officials further argued that strict security is necessary due to Bester’s proven ability to orchestrate sophisticated escape plans. “Thabo Bester enjoys the same privilege as other inmates,” a DCS spokesperson maintained.
While Bester fights for what he describes as more humane treatment, he still faces a separate criminal trial. He and several co-accused including Magudumana are due to appear in the Free State High Court in February 2025 on charges ranging from murder and fraud to violation of a corpse and escape from lawful custody.
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