The Department of Correctional Services has confirmed that convicted killer and rapist Thabo Bester has been transferred from Kgosi Mampuru Maximum Prison in Pretoria to eBongweni Super Maximum Prison in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal.
Bester, serving a life sentence, escaped from Mangaung Correctional Centre in 2023 after faking his own death and was later recaptured in Tanzania. The department said the move followed a security risk assessment to ensure the safety of inmates and staff.
Spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said Bester would continue to have access to legal representation, family communication, and court proceedings.
“The transfer follows routine security risk assessments. The safety of inmates and staff remains a priority,” Nxumalo said.
Bester’s lawyer, Moafrika wa Maila, said the legal team only learned of the move through a family friend and plans to apply for his return to Pretoria.
The transfer comes weeks after remand detainee Vusimusi Matlala was also moved to eBongweni, highlighting the facility’s role in housing high-risk inmates.
Photo: Screenshot
