Original subtitles

(OFFICER #1) Go to the cell. Go to the cell.

(OFFICER #2) Going towards cell 35.

(ANCHOR) Convicted murderer and a so-called Facebook rapist...

(FRANCIS) Thabo Bester had been found burnt to death in his prison cell.

(BONGANI) It's a story that's made headlines here and abroad.

(BONGANI) IT STARTS OFF SLOWLY.

YOU KIND OF SEE, YOU KNOW, THE CORNER OF YOUR EYE,

AND THEN IT REALLY JUST GATHERS PACE AS MORE DRAMA BEGAN TO EMERGE.

- (CLEMENT) "Tom". - (ANCHOR #1) Tom Motsepe.

- (NATHI) TK Nkwana. - (CHRISELDA) Whatever his name is.

(WOMAN) Tom Bester.

(MAN) Who is this Thabo Bester?

(NATHI) AND I SAID, "I'VE GOT YOU. I KNOW WHAT SCUM YOU ARE."

(GUESTS) ♪ Happy birthday ♪ ♪ Dear Thabo ♪

(ZETHU) What the fuck was that?

(GLENDA) HE WAS PRESUMABLY DEAD.

(MAN) It's just unbelievable.

(MARECIA) ONE REMAINING QUESTION WAS, "WHOSE BODY WAS IT?"

I don't know what to say, to be honest.

- (WOMAN #1) Eish. I don't know. - (WOMAN #2) This is so crazy.

(CHRISELDA) IT, WITHOUT A DOUBT, BECAME ONE OF THE BIGGEST STORIES

THAT WE'VE COVERED AS THE SOUTH AFRICAN PRESS.

(CHRISELDA) Mr Bester, do you have anything to say?! I see you there!

(JESSICA) GroundUp are the ones who broke the story.

(DJ) It was GroundUp who told us, not the government.

- Nandipha Magudumana... - is a celebrity doctor.

(MAN) The things that she chooses to do for this guy will leave you going,

SMUGGLING A BODY!

IS THIS ACTUALLY FOR REAL?

(LAUGHING)

(ANCHOR) Magudumana believed to be on the run with Thabo Bester.

(MAN) Where's he now?

(BHEKI) We found Bester.

(WOMAN) OH HA, HA!

(WILLIAM) IT SOUNDS LIKE "BONNIE AND CLYDE".

(DANIEL) YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID, OH THIS IS LIKE A MOVIE.

A BAD AMERICAN MOVIE, JA.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(MARECIA) I THINK I'll JUST START WITH HOW THE DAY ACTUALLY WENT.

IT WAS A TUESDAY MORNING AND I DROVE IN TO WORK.

I GOT TO THE OFFICE AND IT STARTED LIKE ANY REGULAR DAY.

MY NAME IS MARECIA DAMONS AND I WORK AS A JOURNALIST AT GROUNDUP NEWS.

OUR FOCUS IS MAINLY GRASSROOTS STORIES.

SO THAT MORNING I OPENED MY LAPTOP.

I HAD THIS BIG MUG OF GREEN TEA NEXT TO ME.

AND MY EDITOR, NATHAN GEFFEN,

CAME UP TO ME AND SAID, "CLOSE THE DOOR, CLOSE THE DOOR."

THIS IS A VERY CONFIDENTIAL

DISCUSSION THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO HAVE.

I HAVE A STORY FOR YOU,

"AND IT MIGHT JUST BE A BIG ONE."

NATHAN ASKED ME, "DO YOU REMEMBER THE FACEBOOK RAPIST?"

AND I TOLD HIM THAT I DIDN'T KNOW HIM.

(WOMAN #1) It was a big story in South Africa.

I don't even know who he is, child.

(WOMAN #2) He's also known as the Facebook rapist.

He would literally lure young girls, mostly teens...

Using Facebook...

with opportunities to, like, elevate their careers...

promising them modelling and things like that, like he's an agent.

And then he would assault them.

And rape them and...

Sometimes murder them.

The man got arrested.

(WOMAN #3) He was sentenced to 50 years in prison.

HIS NAME IS THABO BESTER.

I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA THAT MY LIFE WAS GOING TO CHANGE

IN THE WAY THAT IT DID.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

EARLIER THAT YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES

ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING

THAT A FIRE HAD BROKEN OUT IN THABO BESTER'S CELL.

(ANCHOR #1) Correctional Services...

(CLEMENT) ..announced that the rapist and murderer, Thabo Bester...

...had burned to death...

- (ANCHOR #2) ..in his prison cell... - (ANCHOR #3) ..at the...

(ANCHOR #4) ..Mangaung Correctional Facility...

(ANCHOR #3) ..which is privately owned by G4S.

(MAN) These prisons are managed by G4S...

(MARECIA) I ASKED NATHAN, "WELL OKAY, WHERE'S THE STORY?"

AND HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD RECEIVED A TIP-OFF

THAT THERE ARE RUMOURS THABO BESTER ACTUALLY DIDN'T DIE,

BUT THAT HE ESCAPED...

AND THAT HE WAS HELPED BY A PRISON OFFICIAL WHO IS NICKNAMED SNOWY.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(GLENDA) A TIP-OFF IS WHEN SOMEBODY GIVES YOU INFORMATION

AND SOMEBODY COULD GIVE YOU ANONYMOUS INFORMATION,

SOMEBODY COULD GIVE YOU FALSE INFORMATION.

SO WHEN YOU GET A TIP-OFF, YOU'VE GOT TO SEE,

"MM, WHERE IS THIS COMING FROM?

WHY DOES THIS PERSON WANT ME TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION?

DOES HE OR SHE HAVE AN AGENDA, AND WHAT IS IT?"

SO YOU HAVE TO BE SUPER SUSPICIOUS.

(MARECIA) NATHAN TOLD ME THAT HE RECEIVED THAT TIP-OFF

FROM A VERY RELIABLE SOURCE,

AND WE NEEDED TO PROTECT THE IDENTITY OF THAT SOURCE.

(GLENDA) WHISTLEBLOWERS ARE REALLY HEROES IN THIS COUNTRY,

AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. THEY'RE SUPER BIG HEROES,

BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE GOING TO BE.

THEY'RE THE BRAVE ONES.

THEY ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING KILLED AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, WE MUSTN'T THINK WE'RE NOT A MAFIA STATE.

(MARECIA) WHEN I FIRST HEARD THE DETAILS SURROUNDING THIS STORY,

I THOUGHT, "THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE." MANGAUNG IS A PRIVATELY-RUN PRISON.

IT IS A MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON.

IT'S PEOPLE INVOLVED IN GANGS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE MURDERED INDIVIDUALS.

AND GIVEN THE EXTENT OF SECURITY AT THE PRISON,

IT'S NOT EASY TO GET IN.

YOUR CAR GETS INSPECTED FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

THERE'S CCTV MONITORS THROUGHOUT THE PRISON.

SO WE DO KNOW THAT IT IS A VERY SECURE PRISON.

AT THE TIME, THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES HAD CONFIRMED

THAT THE BODY FOUND IN THE CELL WAS IN FACT THAT OF THABO BESTER'S.

I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS QUITE STRANGE THAT THEY COULD SO CONFIDENTLY SAY

THAT IT WAS THABO BESTER, GIVEN THAT THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICES

TOLD ME THE DNA TESTING WAS STILL NOT COMPLETED.

AND JUST BECAUSE OF THAT, I THOUGHT TO MYSELF,

THERE'S THIS REAL POSSIBILITY THAT HE MIGHT HAVE ACTUALLY ESCAPED.

THE ARTICLE WAS NOT THAT WIDELY READ.

THE PUBLIC NORMALLY RESPONDS WITH APATHY TOWARDS PRISONERS' STORIES.

THE MOMENT IT SAYS "PRISONER" OR "INMATE",

THE GENERAL RESPONSE IS A LACK OF SYMPATHY.

BUT DESPITE THAT, WE NEEDED TO CONTINUE LOOKING INTO THE STORY.

(MYSTERIOUS MUSIC)

(MARECIA) SO IN JANUARY, WHEN WE WERE BACK IN THE OFFICE,

WE RECEIVED MORE INFORMATION FROM OUR SOURCE,

AND THIS TIME IT WAS A REPORT FROM TWO JUDGES

WHO HAD VISITED THE MANGAUNG PRIVATE PRISON.

WHAT FEATURED WERE SOME FINDINGS OF THE POST-MORTEM

THAT WAS DONE ON THE BODY FOUND IN THE PRISON,

AND THAT THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS A BLUNT-FORCE INJURY TO THE HEAD,

AND THE PERSON WAS BURNT BEYOND RECOGNITION.

SO WE KNEW THAT THIS WAS NOT A NATURAL DEATH OR A SUICIDE.

AND WHAT WE ALSO SAW WAS A DEATH CERTIFICATE,

AND AT THE SECTION WHERE AN ID NUMBER WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WRITTEN,

IT WAS LEFT BLANK.

IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS ABOUT BEING AN INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST.

YOU TRY TO FIND ALL THE POSSIBLE CLUES

THAT MIGHT PAINT A BIGGER PICTURE OF WHAT MIGHT REALLY BE GOING ON.

SO I PUT MYSELF IN THE PRISON AND I THOUGHT,

"OKAY, IF A FIRE HAD BROKEN OUT, HOW WAS IT POSSIBLE THAT NOBODY

SAW ANYTHING OR SMELT ANYTHING FOR LONG ENOUGH,

TO THE POINT WHERE THE BODY COULD BE BURNT BEYOND RECOGNITION?"

IT ALSO STARTED BECOMING MORE EVIDENT

THAT THERE WAS FAILURE ON THE STATE'S SIDE,

AND THERE WAS A LOT MORE DIGGING THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE INTO THE STORY.

(DANIEL) SO I THINK MARECIA'S MUCH MORE CONSPIRATORIAL THAN I AM.

I'M MORE SCEPTICAL ABOUT STUFF.

SO I BELIEVE THE MORE RATIONAL AND REASONABLE EXPLANATION FIRST,

WHEREAS MARECIA WANTS TO BELIEVE THE MORE CRAZY THEORY.

WHICH I THINK MADE A GOOD BALANCE,

BECAUSE MANY OF THE ASPECTS OF THE STORY I WOULD'VE SAID,

"OH NO MAN. THAT'S JUST ABSOLUTE NONSENSE."

WHEREAS THEN MARECIA WOULD SAY,

"WAIT A MINUTE, THIS MIGHT ACTUALLY BE TRUE."

(MARECIA) I WAS LEANING TOWARDS THE POSSIBILITY

THAT THABO BESTER HAD ESCAPED,

EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO FACTUAL EVIDENCE TO BACK THAT UP.

WHEREAS DANIEL FELT THAT HE DID ACTUALLY DIE

AND THAT THIS ESCAPED THEORY IS NOTHING MORE THAN JUST A THEORY.

(DANIEL) IN THE JUDGES' REPORT IT ALSO QUOTED AN AFFIDAVIT

THAT SAID THAT THE BODY THAT WAS FOUND IN BESTER'S CELL

WAS CLAIMED BY SOMEONE A FEW DAYS LATER CALLED DR NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA.

WHEN WE SAW NANDIPHA'S NAME MENTIONED FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE GOOGLED HER.

(UPBEAT HIP-HOP MUSIC)

HER POSSIBLE INVOLVEMENT JUST SEEMED SO WEIRD.

(NANDIPHA) I was six years old

when I told my father that I want to be a doctor.

I GATHERED THAT SHE WAS THIS CELEBRITY DOCTOR

WHO MOVED MAINLY IN THE SKIN AESTHETIC SPACE.

It is focused on dermatology as well as surgical procedures.

(MYSTERIOUS MUSIC)

(CHRISELDA) WE KNEW HER ON INSTAGRAM.

I THINK EVERYBODY FOLLOWED HER ON INSTAGRAM.

SHE'S VERY FLAMBOYANT.

YOU KNOW, THE TYPICAL FACADE ON INSTAGRAM OF, "I HAVE A GOOD LIFE."

(MARECIA) AND I SAW THAT SHE WAS FEATURED

IN THE "MAIL & GUARDIAN'S" TOP 200 SOUTH AFRICANS.

AND WE THOUGHT, "NO, THERE'S NO CHANCE

THAT THIS PERSON WAS INVOLVED WITH THIS."

(CHRISELDA) WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE

WHO IS SERVING LIFE IN PRISON,

AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A WOMAN WHOM, ON INSTAGRAM,

SEEMINGLY LOOKS INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL.

HOW DO YOU MATCH THE TWO?

(MARECIA) IT DEFINITELY FELT LIKE THE SCRIPT OF A BOOK

WHERE SOMEBODY GOT TIRED OF ONLY WRITING ABOUT BESTER,

AND THEN DECIDED TO THROW IN A CELEBRITY DOCTOR

JUST TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF THE STORY.

MY NAME IS NKOSINATHI SEKELENI,

I'M NANDIPHA'S OLDER BROTHER.

I WAS REALLY TAKEN ABACK BY NANDIPHA ALONE,

LIKE, "HOW COULD YOU GET INVOLVED WITH SUCH RUBBISH?"

AND IT WON'T END WELL." THAT'S WHAT WENT IN MY HEAD.

IT WON'T END WELL.

THEN I WROTE AN EMAIL TO GROUNDUP.

(MARECIA) WHEN HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS HIS SISTER, I WAS QUITE SURPRISED.

IT WAS INTERESTING THAT HE WAS WILLING TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION.

(INTERVIEWER) AND SO WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP,

- WERE YOU AND NANDIPHA CLOSE? - I WOULD SAY WE WERE QUITE VERY CLOSE

BECAUSE WE USED TO DO THE SAME EXTRAMURAL ACTIVITIES.

FOR INSTANCE, GYMNASTICS, WHICH WAS AFTER SCHOOL,

AND WE WOULD HAVE TO WALK HOME TOGETHER AFTER DARK, AFTER SUNSET.

AND I REMEMBER HOLDING HER HAND DURING THE DARK, AND WHILE WE WALK.

SO SHE WAS SOMEONE WHO WAS ALWAYS AROUND ME AND, JA...

NANDIPHA NOTIFIED US AS A FAMILY THAT SHE'S GOT A MENTOR,

A MENTOR THAT LIVES IN NEW YORK CITY, BY THE NAME OF TK NKWANA,

WHICH WAS SUPPOSEDLY A PROPERTY AND MEDIA MOGUL.

(SIRENS WAILING IN DISTANCE)

(NATHI) NANDIPHA WAS DOING VERY WELL.

SHE WAS AT THE PEAK OF HER SUCCESS.

(WOMAN) In 2020, bought a Porsche, a Ferrari, a Range Rover...

(NATHI) SHE WAS BUYING GERMAN CARS, SPORTS CARS, FANCY CARS...

(WOMAN) opened three businesses, beautiful woman.

(MARECIA) IN HYDE PARK THERE WAS A MANSION,

AND ON THE NEIGHBOURING PLOT THERE WAS A BUILDING

WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE NANDIPHA'S PRACTICE, OPTIMUM MEDICAL AESTHETICS.

(NANDIPHA) Guys, when you're gonna wear makeup,

you need to have a strong base.

(UPBEAT MUSIC)

(NATHI) I MEAN, I WENT THERE MYSELF FOR A FACIAL WHEN SHE INVITED ME.

HER BUSINESS WAS DOING VERY WELL. JA.

(INTERVIEWER) AND SO HOW DID SHE MAKE MILLIONS?

BECAUSE NOT ALL DOCTORS ARE MULTI-MILLIONAIRES.

WELL FROM MY KNOWLEDGE,

SHE MADE MILLIONS BY INVESTING IN PROPERTY.

AND THAT'S WHERE TK NKWANA

AND ARUM HOLDINGS COMES IN.

(MARECIA) ARUM HOLDINGS WAS A COMPANY REGISTERED TO NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA.

THEY WOULD OFFER PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT

AT A MUCH CHEAPER PRICE AS THEIR OTHER COMPETITORS

AND THE POTENTIAL CLIENTS WERE ATTRACTED TO THAT.

BUT WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IS THAT THE GOODS WERE NEVER DEVELOPED

AND PEOPLE HAD PAID DEPOSITS,

BUT DIDN'T SEE THE FRUIT OF THEIR INVESTMENTS.

IT APPEARED THAT TK NKWANA

WAS THE MAIN PERSON DOING THE DAY-TO-DAY RUNNINGS OF THAT COMPANY.

(WILLIAM) THERE ARE SO MANY INDUSTRIES

WHERE A LOT OF BLACK SOUTH AFRICANS FEEL EXCLUDED FROM.

I THINK REAL ESTATE IS ONE OBVIOUS ONE,

JUST BECAUSE IT'S AN INDUSTRY THAT IS PREMISED ON GENERATIONAL WEALTH,

AND GENERATIONAL ASSET OWNERSHIP,

AND BLACK SOUTH AFRICANS WERE COMPLETELY EXCLUDED FROM THAT

SINCE THE PASSAGE OF THE NATIVE LAND ACT.

(HOST) The Native Land Act of 1913 was saying,

"Black people cannot own land, cannot rent land,

cannot purchase land in South Africa."

SO I THINK BY DOING THAT, IT WAS AN INSTANTANEOUS WAY

TO MAKE A LOT OF PEOPLE AUTOMATICALLY RESPECT THEIR SO-CALLED "HUSTLE",

BECAUSE HERE ARE THESE TWO BLACK INDIVIDUALS

THAT ARE MAKING IT IN AN INDUSTRY

WHERE SUCCESS FOR BLACK INDIVIDUALS IS TYPICALLY UNHEARD OF.

(DANIEL) WE RECEIVED A TIP-OFF FROM SOMEONE

WHO SAID THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SCAMMED.

THEY HAD GONE TO A WOMEN IN PROPERTY BRUNCH

AT THIS MANSION THAT NANDIPHA HAD RENTED.

THE PERSON MENTIONED THAT SHE WAS INTERESTED IN BUYING A HOUSE.

THEY GAVE HER A QUOTE THAT WAS ABOUT R3 MILLION BELOW

WHAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE QUOTING.

SO SHE WAS LIKE, "OH WOW, THIS IS AMAZING. R3 MILLION SAVED."

AND I MEAN, NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA IS AMAZING.

AND SHE SIGNED UP AND SHE PAID A MILLION RAND IN DEPOSITS.

BUT AFTER A WHILE WORKING WITH ARUM PROPERTIES AND TK,

IT JUST BECAME A COMPLETE NIGHTMARE.

TK WAS SHORT-TEMPERED.

IT APPEARED THAT HE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT

IN TERMS OF PROPERTIES AND CONSTRUCTION.

WHENEVER HE WAS CHALLENGED BY ANYTHING,

HE WOULD THROW A TANTRUM, AND GET EMOTIONAL,

AND SAY THAT HE DOESN'T WANNA BE MICROMANAGED.

AND THEN SHE DECIDED TO CONFRONT MAGUDUMANA ABOUT THIS,

BECAUSE SHE'D HAD IT WITH TK AND ASKED,

"HAVE YOU EVEN EVER BUILT ANY HOUSES?"

AND MAGUDUMANA SAID, "YES, OF COURSE, WE'VE BUILT HOUSES."

(OMINOUS MUSIC)

(NATHI) It's beautiful.

The president doesn't live far from here.

(MAN) This house is beautiful.

(NATHI) ME AND MY WIFE AND MY TWO-YEAR-OLD KID

HAD BEEN LIVING IN THE HYDE PARK MANSION

FOR ABOUT TWO-AND-A-HALF MONTHS.

(NATHI) You know, this house is huge.

Tennis court... This is actually where I am gonna smoke my weed,

by the tennis court.

(NATHI) AS WE GOT MORE EXPOSURE

TO THE GUY VIA WHATSAPP CALLS AND VIDEO CALLS,

AND THEN IT STARTED GETTING WEIRD.

THAT EVEN WHEN SHE'S SLEEPING,

HE'D INSIST THAT SHE PUTS THE PHONE BY HER BEDSIDE,

AND HE'D WATCH HER SLEEP.

SO THAT'S WHEN I SAW THAT THIS IS A NUTCASE.

AND WHEN SHE'D BE ON A PHONE CALL WITH TK NKWANA,

YOU'D HEAR HER SAY, "BABE", OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW.

THEN YOU'RE SORT OF LIKE, "YOU'RE MARRIED.

"WHY WOULD YOU CALL YOUR BUSINESS MENTOR BABY OR BABE?" YOU KNOW.

AS WELL WHAT RAISED FLAGS IS THIS GUY THAT'S IN NEW YORK,

HE'S ALWAYS LIKE AGAINST THE WALL OR LYING ON A BED.

AND I MEAN, NEW YORK CITY'S A LOUD CITY.

YOU WOULD HEAR A YELLOW CAB HOOTING HERE AND THERE,

BUT IT'S ALWAYS, LIKE, SILENT.

OR SOMETIMES THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEONE SHOUTING IN THE BACKGROUND

IN OUR LOCAL VERNAC.. (LAUGHING) SO...

(NATHI) TK NKWANA APPROACHED ME, ASKING IF I'D BE INTERESTED

IN PURSUING A CAREER IN A POPULAR STREAMING PLATFORM,

AND THAT I'M GONNA BE HEAD OF AFRICAN CONTENT.

AND SO I STARTED INTERACTING ON A NEAR-DAILY BASIS WITH TK NKWANA.

I STARTED GETTING INQUISITIVE WHEN HE WOULD WRITE ME STUFF.

HIS STYLE OF WRITING, THE GRAMMAR, TOTALLY OFF.

AND FOR A MEDIA EDUCATED PERSON,

YOU KNOW, YOU'D EXPECT THEM TO WRITE PROPERLY.

Alright, then.

(NATHI) WHEN I STARTED CALLING ABOUT THE POST,

I BECAME LIKE A SORT OF IRRITATING PERSON

TO BOTH NANDIPHA AND TK NKWANA. AND THEY WOULD AVOID MY CALLS.

AND I'M MAKING IT OUT MYSELF

THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TRUTH HERE, YOU KNOW?

THINKING IT'S GENUINE AND SOMETHING WILL COME OUT OF IT, YOU KNOW?

BUT NOTHING EVER CAME OUT.

WE JUST BECAME SUSPICIOUS. WELL I BECAME SUSPICIOUS.

THEN I MADE IT MY GOAL TO FIND OUT WHO TK NKWANA IS.

(OMINOUS MUSIC)

(NATHI) SO MY AUNT, WHO WAS AN EMPLOYEE AT OPTIMUM,

GOT FIRED BY TK NKWANA.

I THINK FOR REASONS OF BEING TOO INQUISITIVE.

AND SINCE TK NKWANA WAS RUNNING THE SHOW AT OPTIMUM MEDICAL SOLUTIONS,

HE FIRED HER ON THE SPOT AND IT UPSET A COUSIN OF MINE.

SHE TOLD ME WHO I'M DEALING WITH.

SO AS SOON AS I HEARD, I WENT ONLINE,

GOOGLED THE FACEBOOK RAPIST, COMES UP FIRST THING... THABO BESTER.

AND THEN IMMEDIATELY, WHEN I SAW THE FACE, OF THABO BESTER,

I SAID, "DAMN! THIS IS THE GUY I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH.

IT'S NOT TK NKWANA, HE DOESN'T LIVE IN NEW YORK.

THIS GUY IS DOING A LIFE SENTENCE IN BLOEMFONTEIN."

I CALLED THE SO-CALLED TK.

I REMEMBER EXACTLY. I SAID, "HELLO, THABO BESTER."

AND HE SAID, "HELLO, NATHI." AND I SAID, "I'VE GOT YOU.

I KNOW WHO YOU ARE. I KNOW WHAT SCUM YOU ARE."

AND HE SAID, "WELL, NATHI", IN AN ARROGANT MANNER,

"YOU CAN GO TO ANY PUBLICATION AND NO ONE WILL BELIEVE YOU.

I HAVE GOT MY TRACKS COVERED."

SO I THINK I STARTED BEING A PROBLEM.

AND THABO BESTER ORDERED ME TO VACATE THE MANSION

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

NANDIPHA HAD GOT MY DAD ON HER SIDE.

(TENSE MUSIC)

(NATHI) THEY BROUGHT A LOCKSMITH AND WHILE WE WERE OUT,

STARTED LOCKING THE PLACE, AND THROWING OUR FURNITURE OUT,

AND THABO BESTER HAD A CONVERSATION WITH ME SAYING THAT,

"NATHI, IF YOU DON'T LEAVE I'M GONNA SHOOT YOU IN THE HEAD."

(TENSE MUSIC)

(NATHI) AFTER WE GOT KICKED OUT,

THAT'S WHEN I WROTE THE FACEBOOK POST.

AND I SAID, "NANDIPHA, I KNOW YOUR DIRTY LAUNDRY.

AND IF I SPEAK, YOU'LL NEVER PRACTICE MEDICINE AGAIN."

AND SHE WAS VERY UPSET ABOUT IT, AND SHE SUED ME.

SO IT DRAGGED ON FOR A WHOLE YEAR. I WAS GOING IN AND OUT OF COURT.

THE RELATIONSHIP AFTER THAT BETWEEN NANDIPHA AND I WAS NEVER THE SAME.

(MARECIA) WE DECIDED TO CONSOLIDATE

ALL OF THE TIP-OFFS THAT WE HAD RECEIVED.

AND WE WENT THROUGH THE GROUNDUP EMAILS,

AND WE ACTUALLY STUMBLED ACROSS AN EMAIL FROM FEBRUARY, 2020...

AND IT WAS INDICATING THAT BESTER

WAS RUNNING A SCAM COMPANY CALLED 21ST CENTURY MEDIA.

WHEN I REACHED OUT TO THE WOMAN WHO SENT US THE TIP-OFF,

SHE JUST WANTED THIS MAN TO BE EXPOSED.

THABO BESTER POSED AS THE CHAIRMAN OF 21ST CENTURY MEDIA,

AND HE WENT BY TOM MOTSEPE,

CLAIMING TO BE RELATED TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN BILLIONAIRE

AND BUSINESS MOGUL, PATRICE MOTSEPE.

(DANIEL) IT SEEMS THAT BESTER HIMSELF WASN'T CHARGE OF RECRUITMENT,

SO HE USED HIS TOM MOTSEPE PROFILE ON LINKEDIN

TO APPROACH PEOPLE WORKING IN MEDIA, GOT THEM TO QUIT THEIR JOBS.

(MARECIA) TOM MOTSEPE APPARENTLY HAD SHARES IN VIACOM, IN SKYFOX.

HE ALSO CLAIMED TO HAVE AN INVESTMENT DEGREE FROM HARVARD UNIVERSITY.

(DANIEL) THERE ARE PHOTOS OF HIS FACE

PHOTOSHOPPED ONTO THE BODIES OF CELEBRITIES

LIKE MICHAEL "B" JORDAN AND OTHERS.

(WOMAN) Thabo Bester or Tom Motsepe, whatever his name is,

because he's used a lot of aliases.

MANY OF HIS SCAMS WAS TO CREATE ALIASES.

AND I THINK THERE'S AN ELEMENT OF HIM, A PART OF HIM,

THAT REALLY WANTED TO BE THOSE PEOPLE,

AND THAT HE REALLY WANTED TO EMBODY THOSE CHARACTERS.

THE BOLDNESS TO DO THAT STEMS FROM A BELIEF THAT HE HAS NOTHING TO LOSE.

AND I THINK WHERE THAT PROBABLY COMES FROM IS FROM WHERE HE STARTED,

WHICH WAS IN A SITUATION OF A LOT OF LOSS.

AND SO THERE'S PROBABLY A PART OF HIM THAT IN THE PROCESS THINKS,

"WELL I'M HERE, I MIGHT AS WELL SWING AS HARD AS I CAN,

TRY AS HARD AS I CAN. AND IF I SUCCEED, I SUCCEED.

IF I DON'T, I DON'T."

This man was running a multimillion rand scam business

while serving a life sentence for rape and murder.

The twists and turns of this story don't end.

(DANIEL) SO THE FORMER EMPLOYEE SENT US A VIDEO OF THE COMPANY CONFERENCE.

(MARECIA) SOME WELL-KNOWN NAMES IN THE MEDIA INDUSTRY

ATTENDED THIS EVENT.

(DANIEL) YOU'VE GOT YVONNE CHAKA CHAKA

AND AMANDA DU-PONT THERE, YOU'VE GOT POLITICIANS.

(MARECIA) IN THE MIDDLE OF IT,

THEY WERE TOLD THAT THEY WOULD RECEIVE A KEYNOTE ADDRESS

FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF 21ST CENTURY MEDIA

AND THAT HE WOULD BE CALLING IN FROM NEW YORK.

(DANIEL) THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO

IS THE CROWD SINGING...

Happy birthday to this "Tom"...

(DANIEL) TO A MURDERER AND RAPIST...

(CLEMENT) ..speaking from prison!

(GUESTS) ♪ Happy birthday, ♪ Dear Tom ♪

♪ Happy birthday to you ♪

(NANDIPHA) We hope you're not crying.

(NATHI) WHEN I SAW THAT

AND SAW THE PEOPLE SINGING "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" TO HIM,

AND HIM HAVING THAT SMILE, AND, LIKE, DECEIVING PEOPLE,

I JUST BROKE OUT IN A LAUGH AND SAID, "THAT'S HIM. THAT'S HIS TACTICS."

(MAN) Running a business from prison?

THAT'S HIS TACTICS, HAVING PEOPLE SING "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" TO YOU

WHILE YOU ARE IN PRISON PRETENDING TO BE IN NEW YORK CITY.

(MARECIA) HE WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN

AN EVENT CALLED THE WOMEN IN MEDIA EVENT.

(DANIEL) THEY WERE TOLD THAT HALLE BERRY AND TARAJI P. HENSON

WOULD BE AT THE EVENT.

BUT THEN HALLE BERRY AND TARAJI P. HENSON

BOTH TWEETED SAYING, "WAIT A MINUTE,

WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS EVENT.

LIKE, WHAT IS THIS? THIS IS FAKE NEWS."

THAT'S ALSO A PATTERN THAT WE SEE THROUGHOUT BESTER'S SCAMS

IS THIS OBSESSION WITH WOMEN AND USING THE THEME OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

TO THEN DO EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT.

(TENSE MUSIC)

(WILLIAM) THABO BESTER'S GRIFT, OR SWINDLE, OR HUSTLE,

BESTER TOOK THE GRIFT AND TRANSFORMED IT

INTO A LIFESTYLE, INTO AN OCCUPATION,

INTO HIS MAIN MODE OF BEING AND INTERACTING WITH THE WORLD,

BECAUSE HE WAS ABLE TO FOOL SO MANY PEOPLE

INTO BELIEVING THAT HE WAS THIS TOP BUSINESS EXECUTIVE,

THIS SEEMINGLY RELIABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY PERSON.

AND WHY SO MANY PEOPLE WERE BEGUILED BY HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE,

IS BECAUSE THEY LOOKED AT BESTER AND THOUGHT,

"HEY, HE'S ONTO SOMETHING. HE'S PERSONIFYING THE HUSTLE.

I WANNA HUSTLE LIKE HIM."

(WILLIAM) ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS DECEIVE PEOPLE FOR LONG ENOUGH,

CONDUCT YOUR SWINDLE, AND THEN DISAPPEAR.

YOU'VE GOTTA BE A RISK-TAKER.

YOU'VE GOTTA BE PREPARED TO PUT YOUR NAME OUT THERE.

AND IF YOU PUT YOUR NAME OUT THERE

FOR SOMETHING THAT COULD REWARD YOU DOWN THE LINE,

AND THABO BESTER CAME UPON MANY PEOPLE

WHO WERE PREPARED TO TAKE THAT RISK.

(DANIEL) THIS WHOLE SAGA WITH 21ST CENTURY MEDIA

IS SUCH A GOOD DEMONSTRATION OF HOW THABO'S PATHOLOGY

INTERSECTS WITH SOUTH AFRICA'S PATHOLOGY IN A WAY.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(WILLIAM) SOUTH AFRICA, IN PARTICULAR, IS A SOCIETY

THAT OPERATES VERY INTENSELY ON CULTURAL CAPITAL

AND HOW YOU PRESENT YOURSELF ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

HOW YOU PRESENT YOURSELF IN THE CIRCLES THAT YOU OPERATE WITHIN,

ENDS UP BECOMING THE THING THAT PEOPLE PUT A GREATER PURCHASE ON

THAN ACTUALLY HOW AND WHO YOU ARE.

HOW AND WHO YOU ARE IS BESIDES THE POINT.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CHRISELDA) AS THE STORY UNFOLDED,

I CONDUCTED AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH DR PASHY,

WHO WAS ONE OF THE CLOSE FRIENDS OF DR NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA.

(PASHY) She told me that she owns this media company,

and then it's got the international leg as well,

where the chairperson is TK Nkwana.

(CHRISELDA) SHE BASICALLY TOLD ME THAT SHE'D BEEN SWINDLED OF MILLIONS.

THAT DR NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA, SHE SAYS,

HAD LURED HER, WANTING TO BE FRIENDS WITH HER.

THEY SHARED SIMILAR IDEALS.

THEY WOULD PRAY TOGETHER, THAT'S WHAT SHE TOLD ME.

PROMISES OF HELPING HER HOST

A HIGH-PROFILE WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME IN THE UNITED STATES.

(PASHY) They then promised that they can bring the likes of Oprah Winfrey.

(CHRISELDA) There were times when he video-called you.

- Where was he? - He would be in various locations,

sometimes in an office, sometimes on a yacht in the middle of the ocean.

Sometimes just in the streets, just walking around.

So he would video call from, like, different locations.

(DANIEL) OUR SOURCE DECIDED TO MAKE ONE BIG DISCLOSURE,

WHICH WAS THAT THERE WERE SPLIT SECONDS OF VIDEO FOOTAGE...

FROM THE NIGHT OF THABO BESTER'S CELL GOING UNDER FIRE...

WHERE WE COULD CLEARLY SEE

THE TWO PEOPLE HASTILY EXITING THE PRISON AT ABOUT 02:59.

(DANIEL) THERE YOU GO. OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S SUSPICIOUS. (CHUCKLING)

SO WE ADDED THAT TO OUR ARTICLE.

(ANCHOR) Is Thabo Bester dead?

Something is not right.

Questions over whether the convicted Facebook rapist, Thabo Bester,

is alive or not, are intensifying.

I'm totally floored by the Thabo Bester story.

It's some excellent journalism, by the way. Shout out to GroundUp.

So we have engaged with all the relevant authorities

with every report that we have published.

And up until now,

many of them have remained rather mum on the status of the investigation.

(GARETH) So where are we?

Who was in the cell and what's next in this investigation?

SO INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM IS REALLY ABOUT IN-DEPTH,

DEEP JOURNALISM, SLOW JOURNALISM.

IT'S ABOUT THINGS THAT DON'T MATCH UP AND THEN YOU FOLLOW THROUGH ON THEM.

OFTEN TIMES IT CAN BE YEARS

TO ACTUALLY GET TO THE BOTTOM OF SOMETHING.

YOU KNOW, YOUR NOSE TELLS YOU SOMETHING'S FISHY HERE, IT STINKS.

THERE WAS DEFINITELY THIS URGE

TO KEEP AT THE FRONT OF THIS STORY FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE,

MEANING THERE WERE COUNTLESS HOURS OF INVESTIGATIONS,

OF PHONING PEOPLE, OF WAITING FOR RESPONSES.

(GLENDA) PEOPLE WORK UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE AND WITH A LOT OF ANXIETY

WHEN THEY'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, LET ON,

OTHER PEOPLE CAN'T FIND OUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

BUT IT'S SO SUPER IMPORTANT, I CAN'T TELL YOU.

(DANIEL) MARECIA SUGGESTED THAT WE JUST GO THROUGH ALL OUR EMAILS

AND KIND OF CONSOLIDATE ALL THE TIP-OFFS WE'VE RECEIVED.

WE WERE CONTACTED BY A PRISONER WHO WAS AT MANGAUNG CORRECTIONAL CENTRE,

SAYING THAT HE HAD INFORMATION ABOUT A COVER-UP

OF SOMEONE DYING IN THE PRISON.

AND THAT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US,

BECAUSE THIS CORNER CELL IS SLIGHTLY OBSCURED FROM CAMERAS.

(MARECIA) THIS INMATE ALSO SAID

THAT THABO BESTER WAS UNCHARACTERISTICALLY HAPPY.

HE WAS RATHER JOVIAL AND...

THIS INMATE WAS OBVIOUSLY QUESTIONING THAT

BECAUSE BESTER WAS SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE.

SO "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE GOING AWAY SOON?"

IN THE POST-MORTEM REPORT THAT WE RECEIVED,

THE PATHOLOGIST NOTED A STRONG SMELL OF PARAFFIN

COMING FROM THE TRACHEA AND THE BRONCHI OF THE BODY.

(CHIKWAVA) IF YOU ARE TELLING ME THAT SOMEBODY WAS IN A CONFINED SPACE

THAT IS MONITORED 24/7, AS IN CUSTODY,

THEN I WOULD BE ALARMED AS TO WHY ARE WE SMELLING PARAFFIN,

AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

IN THIS INSTANCE, WE ARE LOOKING MORE AT WAS THE PERSON ALIVE

BEFORE THE FIRE OR WAS THIS PERSON DEAD BY THE TIME THE FIRE STARTED?

AND THEN IT IS WRITTEN ON THE SUMMARY OF THE AUTOPSY REPORT

THAT I LOOKED AT, THAT THE GENERAL CONDITION OF THE INTERNAL ORGANS

WERE DECOMPOSED OR AT LEAST SUGGESTIVE THAT THE BODY

HAD BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF DECOMPOSING FOR A WHILE.

(MARECIA) IT HELPED PAINT THIS PICTURE

THAT THE PERSON FOUND IN THE CELL DIDN'T DIE BY SMOKE INHALATION.

(CHIKWAVA) IF THERE'S COMBUSTION OF MATERIAL THAT IS AROUND,

ONE IS BOUND TO INHALE IT. RIGHT?

SHOWING THAT THERE WAS PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY GOING ON,

WHICH IS BREATHING, POINTING AT THE FACT THAT ONE WAS ALIVE

DURING THE TIME THAT THE FIRE STARTED OR WAS PUT IN THERE DURING THE FIRE.

COMMENTING ON WHAT WAS PUT FORWARD IS THE AUTOPSY REPORT.

I DIDN'T SEE ANY SIGN THAT COULD HAVE INDICATED THIS PERSON WAS ALIVE

DURING THE TIME THAT THE FIRE WAS OCCURRING.

(MARECIA) WHAT THAT REPORT ALSO SHOWED

WAS THAT THE BODY WAS 1.45M TALL. THAT'S A REMARKABLY SHORT MAN.

AND THAT'S WHEN WE LOOKED UP POSSIBLE IMAGES INDICATING HIS HEIGHT.

AND WE FOUND THIS MUGSHOT SHOWING THAT HE WAS WELL OVER 1.7M TALL.

THE HEIGHT DIFFERENCE

WAS DEFINITELY AN "UH-HUH" MOMENT FOR THIS INVESTIGATION,

BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID IT SHOW TO US WHO WERE WORKING ON IT,

BUT ALSO THE PUBLIC THAT THERE'S THIS VERY REAL POSSIBILITY

THAT THE BODY FOUND IN THE CELL WAS NOT THAT OF THABO BESTER'S.

(MDLULI) GroundUp says there's evidence

that counters the state's claim that Thabo Bester died in a fire.

So questions still remain as to who that person is.

I'm sorry that I'm laughing, it's just this story's ridiculous.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CHIKWAVA) IN MOST INSTANCES WE ARE SUPPOSED TO GO TO THE PRISON

WHILST THE BODY IS STILL UNTOUCHED AND START EXAMINING IT FROM THERE.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS CASE.

IT'S HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT A DOCTOR SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE SCENE.

(MARECIA) THIS INMATE ALSO ALLEGED THAT AFTER THE FIRE HAD BROKEN OUT,

AND IT HAD THEN BEEN EXTINGUISHED, THE PLACE WAS CLEANED.

(DANIEL) THROUGHOUT INVESTIGATING THIS,

MANY PRISONERS HAVE CONTACTED US WITH INFORMATION.

BUT SOME ASPECTS OF THE STORY MIGHT HAVE BEEN EMBELLISHMENTS

THAT WERE FABRICATED BY THE RUMOUR MILL,

AND IT'S SO DIFFICULT TO VERIFY ANY OF THOSE WITHOUT CCTV FOOTAGE

OR DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE,

AND, BECAUSE OF THE STATE OF OUR PRISONS, THAT DOESN'T EXIST.

(MARECIA) IF WE WERE WRONG ABOUT THABO BESTER ESCAPING,

THAT MISTAKE COULD BE, BASICALLY, THE DETRIMENT OF GROUNDUP.

WE RECEIVED A PHONE NUMBER FOR THABO BESTER'S MOM, MEISIE MABASO,

AND SHE TOLD US THAT SHE HAD HEARD ON THE RADIO...

(BONGANI OVER RADIO) Thabo Bester,

also known as the infamous Facebook rapist,

had set himself alight in his cell and died.

AND SHE MADE HER WAY TO THE PRISON

TO FIND OUT WHERE THE BODY WAS, TO TRY AND RECLAIM IT.

SO THEY DID DNA TESTS AND SAW THAT THERE WAS NO RELATION BETWEEN HER

AND THE BODY FOUND IN THE CELL.

MEANING THAT THAT BODY

WAS NOT THE BIOLOGICAL CHILD OF MEISIE MABASO.

AROUND THE 7TH OF APRIL, AN UNIDENTIFIED BODY

WAS TAKEN FROM THE FREE STATE MORGUE IN BLOEMFONTEIN.

POLICE BELIEVE THAT NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA

CLAIMED THAT BODY AS HER FATHER...

AND THE BODY WAS DUMPED IN A RIVER IN BLOEMFONTEIN,

WHERE IT WAS LATER FOUND BY POLICE,

STILL WITH ITS IDENTIFICATION TAG ATTACHED.

(ANCHOR) It's in this dam that one of the bodies

allegedly stolen by Dr Nandipha Magudumana

was found floating

after she allegedly claimed it at the mortuary as her father.

(INTERVIEWER) IS THAT A GOOD OR A BAD WAY OF GETTING RID OF A BODY?

I MEAN, WOULD THE BODY FLOAT?

(CHUCKLING) I'M NOT REALLY AN EXPERT ON GETTING RID OF BODIES, BUT JA.

TO ME IT WOULD SEEM AS IF IT WAS A HURRIED WAY

OF GETTING RID OF THE BODY BECAUSE IN A RIVER IT WILL BE FOUND.

IT'S ACTUALLY ILLEGAL

AND IT'S AN OFFENCE THAT ONE CAN BE PROSECUTED FOR.

(ANCHOR) Leaving a whole community shocked

that that body is possibly linked

to the infamous case of Thabo Bester.

(DANIEL) IT HAS BEEN REPORTED

THAT NANDIPHA CLAIMED THREE DIFFERENT BODIES FROM MORGUES IN BLOEMFONTEIN,

WHEN, IN FACT, SHE CLAIMED TWO DIFFERENT BODIES,

BUT SHE CLAIMED THE ONE BODY TWICE.

SHE CLAIMED THE FIRST BODY

WHICH ENDED UP IN THE RIVER IN BLOEMFONTEIN.

THEN THE SECOND BODY WAS THE ONE THAT WAS USED IN THE FIRE.

SHE CLAIMED THAT SECOND BODY AGAIN FROM THE MORGUE.

A FEW DAYS AFTER THE FIRE, MAGUDUMANA AND HER FATHER, ZOLILE SEKELENI,

WENT TO THE FREE STATE MORGUE,

CLAIMED THE BURNT BODY, AND TOOK IT TO SOWETO.

The bodies were obtained by Magudumana over a few weeks.

What the fuck?!

(DANIEL) THE POLICE HAD BY THAT POINT RECEIVED THE AUTOPSY RESULTS,

WHICH SHOWED THAT THE BODY WAS DEAD BEFORE THE FIRE BROKE OUT.

THE POLICE THEN STARTED INVESTIGATING A MURDER CASE

AND DID SOME QUICK INVESTIGATIVE WORK

TO TRACE THE BODY BACK TO SOWETO AND CONFISCATED IT FROM MAGUDUMANA.

AND THAT IS WHEN NANDIPHA WENT TO THE PRETORIA HIGH COURT.

AND IN HER AFFIDAVIT, SHE SAID THAT,

"ON THE 3RD OF MAY, 2022, WHILE AT WORK,

I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM MANGAUNG CORRECTIONAL CENTRE.

THE INDIVIDUAL DELIVERED TO ME SAD NEWS THAT MY HUSBAND HAD PASSED AWAY,

AND THAT HE BURNED TO DEATH IN HIS SINGLE CELL,

AND THAT I MUST COME AND COLLECT HIS BODY

AS I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS REGISTERED

"AS A FAMILY MEMBER OF THE DECEASED."

SO SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS THABO BESTER'S CUSTOMARY LAW WIFE

AND THAT SHE HAD BURIAL RIGHTS FOR THIS BODY.

(DANIEL) AND SHE SAID STUFF LIKE, IT PAINS HER TO SEE HER HUSBAND'S BODY

PASSED AROUND LIKE A PAUPER, CLAIMING THAT THE PRINCIPLES OF UBUNTU

HAVE BEEN VIOLATED BY THE POLICE IN TAKING THE BODY AWAY FROM HER.

BUT WHAT WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THAT AFFIDAVIT,

IS THAT NANDIPHA WAS ACTUALLY ALREADY MARRIED TO DR MKHUSELI MAGUDUMANA,

AND YOU CAN'T GET MARRIED UNDER CUSTOMARY LAW

IF YOU ARE ALREADY MARRIED UNDER CIVIL LAW.

(AARON) Is Thabo customarily married? We don't know.

We have got no evidence of that, that she married customarily to anybody.

(NATHI) IN MY CULTURE THERE'S LOBOLA NEGOTIATIONS

AND THE LAST LOBOLA WE HAD AT HOME WAS NANDIPHA'S HUSBAND, THE DOCTOR...

PAYING LOBOLA FOR NANDIPHA.

(WOMAN #1) In South Africa, we have a very special kind of law,

where the law recognises all different kinds of marriages.

And one of them is customary marriages.

(WOMAN #2) These are the requirements of a valid customary marriage.

- Must be over the age of 18. Tick. - (INTERVIEWER) Okay.

- Must consent to the marriage. Tick. - (INTERVIEWER) Tick.

Must pay a monetary value. Tick.

(WOMAN #3) "Neither of the parties

shall already be in a civil marriage."

You need to show that there was some form of celebration,

whether you slaughtered a goat, maybe even a chicken.

If you can give that proof, you take it and run to Home Affairs.

Then they register that marriage.

(NATHI) SO NANDIPHA'S HUSBAND IS A PAEDIATRICIAN,

AND HE COMES FROM THE SAME AREA

THAT WE COME FROM ORIGINALLY IN THE OLD TRANSKEI.

AND QUITE A VERY JOLLY, FUN GUY WHO TAKES HIS PROFESSION VERY SERIOUS,

BUT WHO ALSO ENJOYS THE NIGHTLIFE OF JOHANNESBURG.

I WOULD SAY I STARTED BEING A BIT INQUISITIVE, I WOULD SAY,

ABOUT HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER HUSBAND THAT,

"HOW CAN A MARRIED COUPLE SORT OF LIVE SEPARATELY?" IT DOESN'T ADD UP.

(MARECIA) DANIEL SHOWED UP AT THE OFFICE QUITE EARLY,

AND HE WAS A BIT OF A NERD FOR SHOWING UP AT THAT TIME. (LAUGHING)

OOH I DON'T KNOW HOW HE'S GONNA FEEL ABOUT THAT. SHAME, MAN.

(DANIEL) WHEN I GOT TO THE OFFICE EARLY THAT MORNING...

(MARECIA) THE OFFICE PHONE RANG AND SOMEBODY WANTED TO SPEAK TO HIM.

(DANIEL) AND IT WAS SOMEONE WHO SAID THAT THEY HAVE GOT PICTURES OF

THABO BESTER AND NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA...

SHOPPING IN WOOLWORTHS IN SANDTON CITY.

(DANIEL) AND I SAW THE PICTURES AND I WAS LIKE...

JA, I JUST KIND OF STOOD BACK AND SAID, "THABO BESTER IS ALIVE."

(MARECIA) IN THE PHOTO WE SEE NANDIPHA, AND HER HAIR WAS BRAIDED,

IT WAS TIED UP IN A BUN, AND THERE HE WAS IN SHADES.

(DANIEL) SO FIRST WE LOOKED INTO THE METADATA OF THE IMAGES,

AND BY DOING THAT WE COULD SEE

THAT THE IMAGES WERE TAKEN ON THE 30TH OF JUNE, 2022,

AND THE GPS LOCATION SHOWED THAT IT WAS TAKEN IN SANDTON CITY

ALMOST A YEAR AGO. SO THE PHOTOS WERE REAL.

(MARECIA) THAT MOMENT FOR ME WAS THE FINAL NAIL IN THE COFFIN,

AND I IMMEDIATELY JUST KNEW THAT THIS MAN DEFINITELY ESCAPED.

THIS IS ALL THE EVIDENCE THAT WE NEED,

PROVING THAT HE'S ALIVE AND WELL.

(AUTOMATED MESSAGE) NEXT CUSTOMER, PLEASE. TELLER FOUR.

PLEASE HAVE YOUR WOOLWORTHS AND MYSCHOOL CARDS READY.

This story is fucking crazy, so let me paint this.

Photographs of a man resembling Bester shopping in Johannesburg

are now circulating on social media.

(DJ) Thabo Bester, this guy is not dead!

This guy escaped!

The Facebook rapist is alive,

and possibly well,

and possibly living large.

(ZETHU) And now to learn

that this motherfucker's been out there on the loose this whole time...

(ANCHOR) Bester was apparently spotted in Sandton...

With Dr Nandipha at a Woolies doing grocery shopping.

Months after his alleged death.

In June, 2022. Guys, this is from last year already.

So why is this photo only circulating now?

This is embarrassing,

the fact that they were not aware that he had escaped for so long?

South Africa is a movie. This story is just so bizarre.

I don't know. I ain't got answers for you.

THIS IS THE PERSON WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE DIED.

AND, ACTUALLY, HERE HE IS IN WOOLWORTHS WITH HIS LOVER.

(ANCHOR) Dr Nandipha Magudumana made headlines

due to her alleged relationship with fugitive, Thabo Bester,

also known as the Facebook rapist.

THEY WERE SHOPPING!

THEY WERE SHOPPING IN SANDTON.

AND FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, THAT'S A VERY AFFLUENT SUBURB.

AND I THOUGHT, "WOW, WHAT A STORY! IS THIS FOR REAL?"

I DON'T THINK IT'S EVERY DAY THAT SOUTH AFRICAN MEDIA

GET TO COVER SOMETHING SO SPECTACULAR, IF I CAN.

(MARECIA) THE PUBLIC WERE ON OUR SIDE, ALSO WANTING TO FIND OUT,

"HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THABO BESTER HAD ESCAPED?"

Everywhere on YouTube it's, Bester this, Nandipha this.

Bester this, Nandipha this.

The Thabo Bester story...

See how charming is this guy.

He is the most scandalous man to ever walk Earth, for me.

Movie shit...

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CELLPHONE RINGING)

(MARECIA) WE RECEIVED ANOTHER TIP-OFF FROM A PRISON WARDEN

WHO SAID THAT THEY WERE WORKING AT THE MANGAUNG PRIVATE PRISON

AND THEY ALLEGED THAT SNOWY WAS INVOLVED

AND THAT HIS FULL NAME WAS SENOHE "SNOWY" MATSOARA.

SO NOW, AT THIS POINT, WE HAD A FULL NAME AND A FULL SURNAME.

(DANIEL) AT ONE STAGE A PICTURE CIRCULATED

OF SENOHE MATSOARA POSING WITH A BRAND NEW VOLKSWAGEN T-ROC,

WHICH RETAILS FOR UPWARDS OF R650,000

AND SENOHE MATSOARA HAD A SALARY OF R15,000 A MONTH.

(EX-WARDEN) I SAW SENOHE'S CAR, IT WAS JANUARY OR FEBRUARY, 2022.

AND WE WERE ALL PRAISING HIM, "HEY MAN, A NICE CAR", ETCETERA.

BUT WE ARE ASKING OURSELVES, "HEY, SO EXPENSIVE CAR

WITH THAT LITTLE PEANUTS THAT HE WAS EARNING AT G4S?"

SO I THINK THABO BESTER MANAGED TO TRAP OFFICIALS BY SAYING,

"HEY, MAN, YOU'VE NEVER HAD THAT FEELING OF HAVING A MILLION,

OF BEING A MILLIONAIRE. I'll MAKE YOU A MILLIONAIRE.

I'll GIVE YOU THIS IF YOU DO THIS." SO SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES GOT TRAPPED.

HE'S VERY MANIPULATIVE, THAT GUY.

And who was part of this elaborate cover-up?

So many people clearly are involved,

and do you really wanna piss off someone

who could pull something off of that magnitude,

so well-orchestrated?

(DANIEL) ON FRIDAY, THE 29TH OF APRIL,

SENOHE MATSOARA ALLEGEDLY DROVE THE BAKKIE,

WITH THE BODY IN, TO THE PRISON.

(EX-WARDEN) THE DEAD BODY STAYS THERE

FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, AND MONDAY.

THEN THABO BESTER ESCAPED IN THE EARLY HOURS OF TUESDAY.

02:59 ON THE CLOCK. IT WAS 02:59

(INTERVIEWER) DO YOU KNOW WHERE HE STORED THE BODY?

(EX-WARDEN) THE WORKSHOPS WHERE THE INMATES HAD BEEN LEARNING SKILLS.

THAT'S WHERE I HEARD THEY HIDE THAT BODY THERE,

IN SOMETHING LIKE A TV STAND.

(INTERVIEWER) SO WHY DO YOU THINK THE BODY WASN'T SMELLING BAD?

(EX-WARDEN) LET'S ASSUME HE WAS USING ICE MAYBE ON TOP OF THAT BODY.

BECAUSE THAT QUESTION I'VE ASKED MYSELF, "WHY?"

YOU KNOW THE SMELL OF A DEAD PERSON?

IT'S VERY HORRIBLE.

BESTER WAS ENROLLED IN A PRINCIPLES OF GRAPHIC DESIGN COURSE.

PRISONERS ARE ENTITLED TO THE USE OF A LAPTOP

IF THEY'RE ENROLLED AT A TERTIARY INSTITUTION.

BUT THE USE OF THOSE LAPTOPS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE MONITORED.

(EX-WARDEN) THABO BESTER, HE WAS VERY SMART.

HE WAS HAVING A LAPTOP, A CELLPHONE, AND NICE FOOD...

YOU GO THERE, YOU CONFISCATE THIS STUFF,

THEN SOMETIMES YOU ARE IN DEEP TROUBLE.

SO WE HAVE TO LET HIM DO THESE THINGS.

(EX-WARDEN) THE MANAGEMENT WILL TELL YOU STRAIGHT AS AN OFFICER,

THE FRONTLINE STAFF, THAT "THE INMATES ARE OUR CLIENTS,

WE ARE GETTING MONEY BECAUSE OF THEM."

(MARECIA) IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THABO BESTER

MUST'VE RECEIVED SOME SORT OF HELP FROM THE STAFF AT THE PRISON.

(EX-WARDEN) THABO BESTER MANAGED TO OPEN

SEVEN DOORS TO ESCAPE.

SO THE PEOPLE WHO WERE WORKING IN THERE, THEY GOT THAT INSTRUCTION.

OPEN THIS DOOR, OPEN THIS, OPEN THIS, OPEN THIS,

NOT KNOWING THIS GUY'S ESCAPING BECAUSE THE CAMERAS WERE NOT WORKING.

SO IF YOUR SENIOR TELLS YOU TO OPEN THE DOOR, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?

YOU HAVE TO COMPLY AND COMPLAIN LATER.

SHOULD YOU SAY "NO", YOU'RE GONNA BE FIRED.

YOU KNOW, I HEARD THABO BESTER

WAS WEARING A G4S UNIFORM WHEN HE ESCAPED.

I THINK HE WAS HELPED TO ESCAPE.

(MARECIA) WE TURNED TO THE

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES IN OUR FOLLOW-UPS,

AND WE LET THEM KNOW THAT WE WERE AWARE THAT SOMEONE CALLED "SNOWY"

MIGHT HAVE ASSISTED THABO BESTER IN ESCAPING,

BUT THAT WAS WHEN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES

STARTED STONEWALLING US.

(SINGABAKHO) Until such time that the new information,

new evidence or the outcome of the investigation is brought to us,

as a department we still stand by the statement

that we issued on the 3rd of May.

WE'RE NOT ONLY WORKING ON AN EXPOSE

THAT IS JUICY AND THAT'S GOING TO CAPTURE THE ATTENTION OF THE PUBLIC,

BUT THERE IS A CONVICTED RAPIST AND MURDERER ON THE LOOSE.

- (MAN #1) Hey, bro! - (MAN #2) Thabo Bester!

Alberton Hospital.

(MARECIA) AND POLICE WERE DRAGGING THEIR FEET

AND NOT MOVING WITH URGENCY TO TRY AND FIND THABO BESTER,

OR TO EVEN ARREST PERSONS OF INTEREST LIKE DR NANDIPHA.

(SINGABAKHO) We have seen media reports,

but as a department,

there is an investigation which is ongoing,

and that has not been finalised.

Let us not be drawn into all these speculations,

all these reports making rounds.

I mean, we do receive a lot of information

and we obviously vet it thoroughly, but it is somewhat concerning.

I believe that after nearly a year,

there still hasn't been any new developments in this matter.

(RONALD) However, what we can assure

the public on, is that we are aware

of the urgency of the matter.

Because if indeed

such a thing happened,

it undermines the authority

of the state.

(GLENDA) PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

DIDN'T GIVE A PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE ISSUE OF THE THABO BESTER ESCAPE,

AND IT'S A PATTERN IN HIS PRESIDENCY.

HUGE THINGS HAPPEN AND YOU'D EXPECT A PRESS CONFERENCE.

"DEAR SOUTH AFRICA, THIS HAS HAPPENED

AND THIS IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO INVESTIGATE,

AND EVEN AN APOLOGY TO THE NATION."

BUT NO, WE DON'T GET IT, AND IT'S MOST UNFORTUNATE.

IT'S ACTUALLY PATHETIC.

(MARECIA) THIS HAPPENED ON THE 3RD OF MAY, 2022,

AND WHEN THE STORY HAD STARTED TO BLOW UP,

IT HAD BEEN ALMOST A YEAR SINCE THIS FIRE HAD BROKEN OUT.

(ANCHOR) How long is this investigation going to take

for it to be concluded?

The moment the investigating team says, "We are done with our work",

"here's a report," that report will then be released.

So you can't give me time frames, Singabakho?

It is not advisable to say this particular time frame.

(MARECIA) HE SAID THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ACCESS

TO THE POST-MORTEM REPORT,

WHICH WAS QUITE DIFFICULT FOR US TO BELIEVE BECAUSE WE HAD ACCESS TO IT.

I need to understand how Correctional Services

has waited almost a year

to follow up on its investigation of an autopsy report.

I must say that this is not something out of the ordinary.

Unfortunately, we do wait for quite some time

to get these autopsy reports.

AND SOON AFTER HIS INTERVIEW,

WE DECIDED TO ACTUALLY PUBLISH THE POST-MORTEM REPORT.

(TENSE MUSIC)

IF WE HAD LESS ROBUST MEDIA WE'D PROBABLY HAVE EVEN MORE CORRUPTION.

BUT IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE CORRUPTION WON'T GO ON FOREVER

BECAUSE, ACTUALLY, PEOPLE FEAR MEDIA AND THEY SHOULD.

THEY SHOULD FEAR MEDIA IF THEY'RE CORRUPT.

A manhunt is underway for convicted murderer and a so-called Facebook...

Facebook rapist..

...and killer, Thabo Bester..

Is on the loose.

(ANCHOR) There is, of course, a manhunt.

Police are now working with private security companies

to try and apprehend him.

Nandipha Magudumana's father confirmed his daughter's in hiding,

believed to be on the run with Thabo Bester.

ON THE 21ST OF MARCH WE LEARNED

THAT NANDIPHA AND THABO BESTER HAD FLED AND THAT THEY WERE ON THE RUN.

(DANIEL) BY THIS STAGE, EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THEY'D GONE TO,

THE WHOLE COUNTRY KNEW THAT BESTER HAD ESCAPED.

(DJ) It's not even a movie.

This is like a crime channel scary documentary. So be safe out there.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(MARECIA) APPARENTLY HE LEFT A R1.5 MILLION WATCH BEHIND

AT THE HYDE PARK MANSION.

WE ALSO HEARD THAT NANDIPHA HAD DROPPED OFF HER KIDS AT SCHOOL,

BUT NEVER WENT TO COLLECT THEM.

AND THEN WE HEARD

THAT THERE WAS A PILE OF BURNING DOCUMENTS IN THE BACKYARD.

NANDIPHA AND BESTER WERE NOW ON THE RUN,

AND I WAS SCARED THAT THEY MAY ACTUALLY GET AWAY WITH IT.

(TENSE MUSIC)

(WOMAN #1) I THINK WHAT WE'RE FORGETTING IN ALL OF THIS

IS THAT HE MURDERED SOMEONE.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(WOMAN #2) HE HASN'T JUST TAKEN THEIR LIVES, HE'S TAKEN THEIR VOICE.

(WOMAN #2) BECAUSE IT'S ALL FORGOTTEN HE'S NOT AN EVIL CRIMINAL ANYMORE.

NOW HE'S JUST A FINANCIAL WIZARD.

SO YES, I'M ANGRY, I'M BITTER,

BECAUSE ALL THE THINGS HE'S DONE HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN.

AND I SHOULDN'T CALL THEM VICTIMS. THEY'RE SURVIVORS.

THEY'RE SURVIVORS.

(SOMBRE MUSIC)