Original subtitles

I FIRST HEARD OF THABO BESTER...

IT MUST HAVE BEEN SOME TIME DURING 2011,

WHEN INITIALLY HIS SORT OF CRIMES CAME TO THE FORE.

SO I WAS ASKED TO COME DOWN AND INTERVIEW HIM.

I HAD A PRIVATE CAMERA THAT I WAS USING.

HE WAS QUITE HAPPY TO TALK, AND ENDED UP SPEAKING

FOR PROBABLY JUST UNDER TWO HOURS.

CAN YOU TELL ME THE DETAILS OF THE CASES,

THE TWO RAPES, AND THE RAPE AND MURDER?

WELL I CAN TELL YOU WHAT HE TOLD ME, BUT...

I read the papers, and I feel like

they're talking about somebody else, not me.

HE WAS REALLY NOT THE MOST INTERESTING PERSON.

HE REALLY, FOR ME, ONLY EVEN BECAME INTERESTING ONCE HE ESCAPED PRISON

AND WE REALISED ALL THE SHENANIGANS THAT HE'D BEEN DOING.

Our very own great Houdini.

We don't even know what his real name actually is.

This could never, ever have been pulled off

without the complicity of others within the system.

WHEN THE THABO BESTER CASE BASICALLY EXPLODED IN THE MEDIA,

ALL THESE DETAILS WERE COMING OUT, ALMOST BLOW BY BLOW.

I WAS WATCHING SOCIAL MEDIA,

I WAS WATCHING NORMAL PEOPLE'S RESPONSE TO THIS,

I WAS SEEING HOW PEOPLE KEPT ON SHARING WHATEVER STORY.

FOR ME, THE IMPRESSION THAT I GOT,

IT WAS AS IF PEOPLE WERE WATCHING THIS AS ENTERTAINMENT.

Hello, true crime lovers.

♪ Happy birthday ♪ ♪ Dear Tom ♪

For a dead guy, he was sure living his best life.

Think Tinder Swindler meets the Dating Game Killer

meets Bonnie and Clyde.

Not everyone who has heard about this case

thinks that Thabo is a villain.

Thabo Bester is a genius.

"OH MY WORD. LOOK AT THIS GUY.

WE CANNOT BELIEVE THIS MAN PULLED THIS OFF."

AND AS A REPORTER ON GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE,

I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH, I'VE INTERVIEWED A LOT OF WOMEN,

I'VE SEEN GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN MY COMMUNITY.

I'VE EXPERIENCE IT, YOU KNOW, MYSELF.

I DON'T SIMPLY WORK IN MEDIA AND, YOU KNOW,

DON'T THINK ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT,

BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT WHAT ANGLE ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE?

THE MEDIA DOESN'T TELL US WHAT TO THINK.

THE MEDIA TELLS US WHAT TO THINK ABOUT.

WHEN I STARTED TO LOOK UP MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE FACEBOOK RACIST,

I HAD TO LITERALLY SEARCH FOR MORE INFO.

IT WAS LIKE THE RAPES WERE NOT NEWSWORTHY.

A MANHUNT IS UNDER WAY FOR CONVICTED MURDERER

AND A SO-CALLED FACEBOOK RAPIST, THABO BESTER.

BESTER ESCAPED FROM THE...

AND ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WAS THOSE WOMEN,

HIS VICTIMS, ESPECIALLY THE CASES THAT HE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF...

I IMAGINED THEM GOING THROUGH THAT TRAUMA AGAIN,

BECAUSE HE'S NOW FRONT AND CENTRE.

Will the real Thabo Bester please stand up?

HIS FACE IS NOW EVERYWHERE. HOW SCARED MUST THEY HAVE BEEN?

FOR A LOT OF VICTIMS, IT GIVES THEM SOME PEACE OF MIND,

TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, THAT HE'S GONNA PAY FOR HIS CRIMES,

THAT HE'S LOCKED UP, AND THEN TO FIND OUT, IN A WAVE OF MEDIA STORIES,

THAT NO, THIS PERSON IS NO LONGER BEHIND BARS.

I THINK WHAT WE'RE FORGETTING IN ALL OF THIS IS THAT HE MURDERED SOMEONE.

IN THIS INVESTIGATION, I FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT

TO AT LEAST TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT BESTER WAS THINKING,

AND THAT MADE ME LOOK A BIT CLOSER INTO HIS UPBRINGING

AND IT SORT OF PAINTED A PICTURE

WHICH MIGHT EXPLAIN WHY HE DECIDED TO TURN TO A LIFE OF CRIME.

OBVIOUSLY, IT DOESN'T EXCUSE WHAT HE DID,

BUT IT DID HELP GIVE ME A BIT OF A BETTER IDEA

OF WHY HE DECIDED TO TURN TO CRIME.

HE WAS BORN ON THE 13TH OF JUNE 1985.

HE WAS NOT BORN IN THE MOST IDEAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

THABO BESTER'S EARLY LIFE AND THE DETAILS SURROUNDING IT

ARE RELATIVELY UNKNOWN,

BUT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK TO HIS MOTHER, MEISIE MABASO.

SHE TOLD US THAT SHE WAS RAPED WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT 16 YEARS OLD,

AND THAT BESTER WAS A PRODUCT OF THAT RAPE.

SO BESTER'S CIRCUMSTANCES FROM THE GET-GO WAS ALREADY QUITE DIFFICULT.

ACCORDING TO HIS MOTHER,

WHEN SHE GAVE BIRTH TO HIM AT

THE CHRIS HANI BARAGWANATH HOSPITAL,

SHE DIDN'T HAVE HER PASS BOOK WITH HER, AND BECAUSE OF THAT,

BESTER'S BIRTH WAS NOT REGISTERED,

AND HE HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN AN ID NUMBER.

MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE

ONLY AFFECTING REFUGEES OR MIGRANTS OR FOREIGNERS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES,

BUT IN FACT, THERE'S SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF SOUTH AFRICANS

WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO EVEN GET BIRTH CERTIFICATES OR IDENTITY DOCUMENTS.

YOU CANNOT LIVE A MEANINGFUL LIFE IN SOUTH AFRICA WITHOUT DOCUMENTATION.

ALMOST EVERY ENCOUNTER THAT YOU HAVE WITH AN INSTITUTION OR A DEPARTMENT

REQUIRES YOU TO PRODUCE SOME FORM OF IDENTITY DOCUMENTS.

IT CAN FORCE A CHILD INTO A STATE OF ISOLATION

WHERE YOU STRUGGLE TO GRAPPLE WITH YOUR SENSE OF IDENTITY

AND YOUR SENSE OF BELONGING.

SO FOR SOMEONE LIKE THABO BESTER, WHO WAS ESSENTIALLY NO ONE,

HE'S NOT REGISTERED, HE COULD BECOME ANYONE.

Murderer and rapist Thabo Bester

is still keeping authorities on their feet.

Home affairs has said they don't have any record of his birth.

During the time when Thabo was born,

there were no Home Affairs. This system was not there.

WHEN MEISIE GOT A JOB,

SHE DECIDED TO LEAVE THE CHILDREN BEHIND WITH HER PARENTS.

HIS GRANNY DIED, AND APPARENTLY KIND OF

REALLY WAS A CAREGIVER FOR HIM.

HE'S BEEN LOOKED AFTER BY

HIS GRANDFATHER, WHO,

ACCORDING TO HIM, WAS A RAGING ALCOHOLIC

WHO DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AFTER HIMSELF,

LET ALONE, YOU KNOW,

A LITTLE KID WHO'S 12, 13 YEARS OLD.

DIDN'T MAKE SURE HE GOES TO SCHOOL.

AND ESSENTIALLY, SORT OF, JUST.. HE DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL.

AND THEN NEEDED MONEY, SO HE STARTED TO HUSTLE,

AND HE SAW THAT IF HE WAS HITCHHIKING IN HIS SCHOOL UNIFORM, YOU KNOW,

HE COULD SPIN A STORY TO WHOEVER STOPPED,

AND THEY WOULD GIVE HIM R5 OR WHATEVER MONEY THAT, YOU KNOW...

AND HE REALISED, "OKAY, HANG ON A MINUTE.

I CAN USE THIS AS A WAY OF GENERATING AN INCOME."

AND REALLY, THAT.. HIS CONNING THEREFORE STARTED WHEN HE WAS,

YOU KNOW, IN HIS EARLY, EARLY, EARLY TEENS.

HE WOULD WALK AROUND

AND HE WOULD ASK THE RESIDENTS THERE FOR MONEY.

HE SAID THAT HE, AS A CHILD, HAD GONE TO SANDTON

AND HAD BEEN AMAZED AT ALL THESE FANCY HOUSES AND FANCY CARS,

AND PEOPLE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY LIVING THIS HIGH LIFE,

AND HE WANTS THAT FOR HIMSELF ONE DAY.

AT SOME POINT IN TIME, MEISIE WANTED HER CHILDREN TO LIVE WITH HER AGAIN,

BUT BESTER TOLD HER THAT HE HATED SHACKS,

AND THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO LIVE IN A SHACK.

IF YOU LOOK AROUND IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY,

IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT THERE ARE JUST SO MANY BAD APPLES

WHO ARE OUT THERE FOR THEIR OWN PERSONAL GAIN.

AT SOME POINT, IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR SOCIETY TO SAY,

"WHY ARE WE PRODUCING SO MANY OF THESE EXPLOITATIVE FIGURES?"

IT'S BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY OF SUCH HARSH CONDITIONS OF DEPRIVATION

EXISTING AT THE SAME TIME OF SUCH GRAND CONDITIONS OF WEALTH.

AND THAT INEQUALITY IS, I THINK, THE LINK IN THIS CHAIN OF CAUSATION,

WHERE MANY PEOPLE THEN DECIDE,

"YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS IS A GAME THAT IS STACKED AGAINST ME

THAT I AM GOING TO LEARN TO PERFECT AND MASTER FOR MY BENEFIT,

AND I'll DO WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE IT."

SOME YEARS LATER, MEISIE WENT BACK TO THEIR HOME IN EIKENHOFF

TO GO AND FETCH BESTER, ONLY TO FIND THAT HE WAS NO LONGER THERE,

AND THERE'S THIS GAP IN HIS EXISTENCE...

UP UNTIL 2004 WHEN MEISIE WAS CALLED

TO COLLECT BESTER FROM PRISON.

AND FROM WHAT WE UNDERSTAND, HE HAD BEEN ARRESTED FOR PETTY CRIMES.

LOOK AT THABO BESTER'S PERSONALITY PROFILE,

AND IN MY CLINICAL OBSERVATION FROM A DISTANCE,

IT GIVES ME A PERSONALITY PROFILE

OF SOMEONE WITH ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER.

A DISORDER OF SOMEONE WHO HAS NO REGARD FOR WRONGFULNESS,

NO APPRECIATION FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, IMPULSIVITY,

I GET THE SENSE THAT THERE WAS NO PARENTAL MOTHER-SON RELATIONSHIP

THAT WAS HEALTHY.

MEISIE IS DEFINITELY IN EMOTIONAL AGONY

FOLLOWING EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED WITH THABO BESTER.

IT'S QUITE EVIDENT THAT HER SPEECH IS SOMEWHAT SCATTERED

AND THAT HER THOUGHTS ARE A BIT DISPLACED.

ACCORDING TO HER, THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE STROKE THAT SHE SUFFERED.

AND SHE RELIES ON A R350 SOCIAL GRANT.

MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE ALSO GROWN UP IN SOME VERY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES...

BUT THEY DIDN'T TURN OUT TO BECOME RAPISTS AND MURDERERS.

I THINK SOME ARE BORN BAD,

AND SOME ARE PERHAPS BORN BAD BUT THEIR GOOD CIRCUMSTANCES

MIGHT TEMPER THEIR BEHAVIOUR.

ANOTHER ONE, YOU KNOW,

GOOD CIRCUMSTANCES OR BAD CIRCUMSTANCES

MIGHT MAKE THEM TO DO THINGS OUT OF DESPERATION.

WE'VE SEEN THAT. YOU KNOW, CORPORATE THIEVES

WHO GREW UP WITH A SILVER SPOON IN THEIR MOUTH

END IP STEALING MILLIONS AND BILLIONS.

THABO COMES ACROSS AS AN AGGRESSIVE PERSON

WHO FEELS THE NEED THAT THE WORLD OWES HIM SOMETHING.

SO THE MINUTE THAT HE DISCOVERED HIS ABILITY TO FEND FOR SELF,

IT DIDN'T MATTER, "HOW AM I GOING TO DO THAT?"

♪ Happy birthday ♪ ♪ Dear Tom ♪

YOU CAN SEE IT FROM A DISTANCE.

HE USES THE TOOL TO CHARM PEOPLE TO GET AWAY WITH THINGS.

IF I LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE ENTIRETY

OF HIS BEHAVIOUR, HE JUST REALLY SEEMS TO BE SOMEONE

WHO DOESN'T REALLY HAVE EMPATHY FOR OTHERS,

DOESN'T REALLY CARE ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS BEHAVIOUR,

CLEARLY DOESN'T LEARN FROM HIS MISTAKES,

'CAUSE HE HAD BEEN ARRESTED A FEW TIMES, YOU KNOW,

DIVERTED FROM PRISON, THEN IN PRISON.

AND NOTHING CHANGED HIS BEHAVIOUR, IT DIDN'T THWART HIM

OR PUT HIM ON A BETTER PATH.

SO THAT KINDA PERSONALITY THAT HE WILL CONTINUE IN THIS FASHION.

IN THABO BESTER'S MODUS OPERANDI,

WE KNOW HE HAD TO BE THE MAIN MAN.

There's a guy named Thabo Bester.

He was known as the Facebook Rapist.

And I can't tell you how legit this oke seemed.

Thabo Bester was a charismatic,

well-dressed and well-spoken man,

who also happened to be a bombastic scammer.

He was talking about big salaries.

HE USES BIG BRANDS AND BIG NAMES TO KINDA LURE PEOPLE IN.

It sounded so exciting.

I thought something really positive was about to happen in my life.

HE NEEDED LAPTOPS, EQUIPMENT, MODELS.

My sister, who's the smart one, she really smelled a rat.

HE CAME TO ME SAYING HE'S FROM DSTV.

DSTV BY THEN, JA.

JOHNNY AND I WERE THINKING OF BEING THE BIGGEST PRODUCERS,

HOLLYWOOD AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

IT WAS AT THAT TIME I GOT A CALL FROM A GUY SAYING,

"LISTEN, I FOUND YOUR COMPANY ON THE INTERNET."

I'M COMING DOWN TO PRETORIA TO SHOOT A PROMO FOR DSTV CHANNEL.

"AND I WANT TO HIRE YOUR COMPANY TO COME SHOOT THIS ENTIRE PRODUCTION."

- HM. - I WAS EXCITED,

BECAUSE THIS WAS THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY.

WE'D JUST REGISTERED THE COMPANY,

AND THIS IS THE THING THAT YOU WANTED TO DO.

AND I HAD A MEETING WITH THE GUY.

AND AFTER OUR MEETING, I IMMEDIATELY CALLED JOHNNY AND SAID,

"HEY, JOHNNY, WE HAVE A GIG, AND THIS GIG NEEDS ABOUT 20 MODELS.

THESE MODELS NEED TO BRING THEIR OWN LAPTOPS AS WELL.

IS THERE A WAY YOU CAN HELP THIS PRODUCTION HAPPEN?"

I GET EXCITED.

THEN THE SHOOT HAPPENED, I THINK, THE FOLLOWING DAY, RIGHT?

- MM. MM. - JA.

WAS IT ON A WEDNESDAY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

- JA. - I MANAGED TO ORGANISE, YOU KNOW,

THOSE 20 MODELS, AND THEN THEY SHOULD BRING THEIR LAPTOPS.

MOST GIRLS, THEY NEVER HAD.. THEY HAD TOP BORROW LAPTOPS.

I CALLED A FRIEND OF OURS WHO HAD TO GIVE US A CAMERA.

WE DIDN'T JUST BOUGHT, WITHIN A MONTH, LIKE, NEW CAMERA.

SO THERE WE ARE, WE MET AT A B&B.

THEN BEAUTIFUL MODELS CAME THERE, WE GAVE THEM THE WOW SITUATION.

I GOT TO MEET THABO THERE.

WE KNEW HIM AS THOMAS THABO BESTER.

LOOK, THIS GUY, THE WAY HE DRESSES,

THE WAY HE CARRIES HIMSELF AND SPEAKS,

YOU WOULD BELIEVE ANYTHING THAT HE SAYS.

JA, 'CAUSE I REMEMBER, HE WAS WEARING THE WHITE SHIRT

AND THE WAISTCOAT. JA.

BUT THABO HAD TOLD ME THAT IT'S A DSTV GIG,

AND WHEN I STARTED ASKING HIM QUESTIONS,

"OKAY, FINE, DO YOU HAVE A SCRIPT? I NEED TO GO THROUGH THE SCRIPT.

"WHAT KIND OF SHOTS DO YOU WANT?" NOW IT'S A KYKNET GIG.

HE WAS WORKING PURPOSEFULLY THAT WE DON'T TALK.

HE DID IT SO WELL.

HE WAS GETTING UPSET WITH ME BECAUSE OF ASKING QUESTIONS.

SIMPLE QUESTIONS, LIKE YOU WANT TO MAKE SENSE OF SOMETHING.

THABO BESTER SAID BEFORE WE SHOOT, WE NEED TO HAVE LUNCH FIRST.

AND THEN...

THEN HE SAYS, "OKAY, EVERYONE, LEAVE YOUR BELONGINGS IN THE CARS,

BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA COME BACK, BUT WE HAVE TO GO HAVE LUNCH AND WHATEVER."

SO JOHNNY SAYS, "MATHABA, LET'S TAKE THE CAMERA WITH."

- HE INSISTED. - I.. YES, THAT'S RIGHT.

I INSISTED ON THAT,

AND THEN THABO HIMSELF, HE SAID,

"I'M NOT INSURING THIS CAMERA...

IT'S NOT INSURED WHILE YOU'RE TAKING IT, YOU KNOW, WITH YOU INSIDE."

. SO I TOOK IT BACK.

AND THEN WE WENT TO SPUR, AND THABO BESTER HIT THE TABLE,

GETTING ALL OUR ATTENTION, AND SAYS,

"ORDER AS MUCH AS YOU WANT. IT'S ON ME."

SO, I MEAN, PEOPLE WERE GOING FOR IT.

HE SPOKE TO THE SHUTTLE GUYS, HE WANTED THE KEYS FROM THEM.

AND TIME STARTED TICKING AND TICKING AND TICKING.

I WAS ALREADY IN THE RADIO AND MEDIA INDUSTRY

FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS.

THERE WAS A FULL-ON PRODUCTION CREW, MAKEUP ARTISTS,

THERE MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT 30 FINALISTS, BOTH MALE AND FEMALE.

AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I SAW THABO BESTER.

AND WE WERE TOLD IT'S ONE MALE AND ONE FEMALE PRESENTER

WHO'S GOING TO GO THROUGH TO THE FINAL ROUND.

YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THE PRODUCTION CREW,

THE ADJUDICATION PANEL AND THE JUDGES, IT ALL WAS VERY LEGITIMATE.

WE DIDN'T HAVE VERY MUCH INTERACTION WITH HIM

ON THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF AUDITIONS.

IT WAS ONLY SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, ON THE THIRD ROUND,

WHEN THERE WERE JUST THE FOUR FINALISTS EACH.

AND THAT IS WHEN WE HAD ONE-ON-ONE INTERACTION WITH HIM.

AND HE ASKED TO MEET US AT ABOUT 20:00 THAT EVENING,

AND THAT'S WHEN I FELT A BIT UNCOMFORTABLE.

I THEN CALLED ONE OF THE OTHER FINALISTS, ONE OF THE GIRLS,

AND I ASKED HER IF SHE WOULD RATHER GO TOGETHER,

AND WHEN BOTH OF US ARRIVED,

I THINK HE WAS QUITE TAKEN ABACK TO SEE THAT I WAS NOT ALONE.

I THINK HE HAD NO OPTION BUT TO JUST MEET WITH US IN AN OPEN AREA.

HE WAS VERY ORDINARY, NO CLASSIC PRODUCER-TV VIBE,

BUT HIS INSIGHT AND HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE INDUSTRY,

AND HOW IT OPERATES, WAS ON POINT.

I COULD NOT FAULT HIM FOR RUNNING ANY OF THIS

IN A WAY THAT WOULD HAVE RAISED ANY RED FLAGS.

WE KNOW THAT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF SERIALS

IN SOUTH AFRICA, RAPISTS, SERIAL MURDERERS,

WILL USE SOME KIND OF A CON STORY TO LURE THEIR VICTIM AWAY,

AND THAT'S TYPICALLY AN OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT.

HE DID THE EXACT SAME THING HERE,

HE WAS PERHAPS JUST A BIT MORE SOPHISTICATED.

AND ALSO, HIS TARGET MARKET WAS SMARTER.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS SORT OF TARGETING SORT OF THE MODEL GIRLS,

PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE ON THE INTERNET, FACEBOOK, SOCIAL MEDIA,

LOOKING ON SITES FOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES AS MODELS.

WHEREAS YOUR AVERAGE SERIAL RAPIST

WILL LITERALLY WALK AROUND THE STREETS, AROUND A TAXI RANK,

AND WALK UP TO A LADY AND SAY, "ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A JOB?"

WE MET AT A CENTRAL PICKUP POINT.

IT WAS MYSELF AND TWO OTHER FEMALE PRESENTERS WHO WERE SELECTED.

WHAT KIND OF, AT THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, RANG A RED FLAG IN MY MIND

WAS WHERE WERE THE MALE PRESENTERS?

AND WHEN WE ASKED HIM THAT, HE SAID,

OH, NO, HE'S DECIDED TO DROP THE MALE PRESENTERS

AND HE'S JUST GOING WITH TWO FEMALE PRESENTERS THAT HE WOULD CHOOSE.

THAT JUST MADE US FEEL A BIT UNCOMFORTABLE,

AND HE WANTED US TO TRAVEL WITH HIM WITH THE CAMERA CREW IN THE MINIVAN

TO THE LOCATION IN RICHARDS BAY.

YOU KNOW, WHY ONLY WOMEN?

IF YOUR GOAL IS JUST TO GET LAPTOPS, IT COULD BE MEN.

MAYBE HE FELT THAT HE IS ABLE TO MANIPULATE WOMEN BETTER.

IF HE WAS MORE COMFORTABLE MANIPULATING WOMEN,

USE CERTAIN CHARMS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A HETEROSEXUAL MALE,

THOSE CHARMS MIGHT NOT WORK.

AND THEN JOHNNY SAYS TO ME,

"THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GONE FOR A WHILE NOW."

THREE HOURS BECAME FOUR HOURS.

THE MANAGER CAME TO US AND SAID, "HEY, I NEED MY SPACE.

CAN YOU PAY YOUR BILL AND GO HOME?"

THABO IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. THE SHUTTLE IS GONE.

THE CAMERA IS GONE.

THE MANAGER OF SPUR CALLED THE POLICE.

BACK THEN, I THINK THE BILL WAS ABOUT 15,000 PLUS.

AND THEN EVERYONE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID,

"HEY, SINCE YOU ARE THE THABO BESTER RIGHT HAND MAN,

YOU NEED TO SETTLE THE BILL."

THABO BECAME A GHOST, I BECAME, HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING,

THABO BESTER, BECAUSE NOW I NEED TO ANSWER FOR THIS MESS THAT IS HERE.

JA. DAMN. THAT'S WHEN THE FRUSTRATION COMES.

ONE OF THE LADIES' FIANCE, WHO WAS WITH US,

FELT A BIT UNCOMFORTABLE AND DIDN'T WANT HER TO TRAVEL ALONE,

AND HE SUGGESTED THAT HE WOULD DRIVE US THERE AND BACK.

WHEN WE SAID TO TOM BESTER THAT WE WOULD FOLLOW IN CONVOY,

HE SEEMED VERY IRRITATED AND ANGRY.

AT THAT TIME, WE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HIS REACTION.

AS WE WERE DRIVING, IT WAS JUST INTUITION.

SOMETHING DIDN'T SIT RIGHT WITH ME, AND I DECIDED TO GOOGLE HIS NAME,

AND WHEN I DID THAT, I WAS SHOCKED,

BECAUSE I FOUND THAT THERE WERE A FEW CASES OF RAPE AND ABUSE AGAINST HIM.

THAT WAS JUST HARROWING, AND IT SHOCKED ALL OF US.

AND AT THAT POINT, WE HAD TO MAKE A DECISION.

DO WE JUST TURN AROUND AND LEAVE, OR DO WE FOLLOW HIM?

I CALLED THE BED AND BREAKFAST THAT HE WAS AT.

THE OWNER SAID TO ME HE HAD JUST UPPED AND LEFT.

HE WAS LIVING THERE FOR TWO WEEKS AND HE HADN'T EVEN PAID THEM.

WE THEN FRANTICALLY GOT HOLD OF THE POLICE, EXPLAINED THE STORY TO THEM,

TRYING TO GET HOLD OF SOMEONE WHO COULD ASSIST US,

ASKING THEM TO INTERCEPT THE VEHICLE EN ROUTE TO RICHARDS BAY.

AS WE GOT INTO RICHARDS BAY,

WE COULD SEE THAT THERE WAS NO SIGN OF ANY POLICE FORCE

THAT WERE THERE TO ASSIST US.

IT WAS A LONG-ASS NIGHT, BECAUSE THE POLICE ARE ASKING US,

"WHO CONNECTED WITH THABO BESTER?" THEN THEY SAID, "IT'S MATHABA."

SO NOW THE POLICE ARE PUTTING PRESSURE ON ME TO SAY, LIKE,

"LOOK, THIS GUY, HE KNOWS. HE'S NOT TELLING YOU THE TRUTH. HE KNOWS."

AND THE WAY THEY'RE PUTTING IT, I FIGURE THAT,

"NO, I THINK HE KNOWS."

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TOM BESTER WAS TIPPED OFF,

OR WHETHER HE JUST FELT THAT SOMETHING WAS STRANGE,

BECAUSE HE SUDDENLY DISAPPEARED.

THE DETECTIVE WHO WAS THERE TOLD ME SOMETHING VERY INTERESTING, THAT,

"LISTEN, THIS IS A FRAUD CASE. THE GUY IS A CON ARTIST.

HE'S A FRAUDSTER. YOU'LL NEVER FIND THIS GUY."

SO I'VE JUST GOTTEN OVER THIS EXPERIENCE

OF BEING IN A CAR CHASE WITH A CRIMINAL, AND A WEEK LATER,

AS I GET TO WORK AT SABC STUDIOS,

I SEE TOM BESTER WALKING OUT OF THE STUDIO AS WELL.

I WAS HORRIFIED, AND I GOT SECURITY TO MAKE ENQUIRIES AS TO WHERE HE WAS.

HE HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF AIR FROM UKHOZI FM.

HE DEFINITELY PUSHES THE BOUNDARIES,

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY HE WAS SUCCESSFUL,

HE HAD THE GUTS TO TELL PEOPLE THAT HE WORKED FOR MTV OR THIS OR THAT,

THAT HE JUST WILL TAKE THAT RISK.

AND HE WAS ON AIR PITCHING FOR NEW TALENT.

HE WAS JUST SO BRAZEN, NOT A CARE IN THIS WORLD,

THAT HE COULD COME OFF SO CLEARLY JUST A WEEK LATER,

START PLANNING A WHOLE NEW SCAM.

I DID CONTACT THE DURBAN NORTH POLICE STATION

AFTER SEEING HIM AT SABC STUDIOS, AND INFORMED THEM OF HIS WHEREABOUTS,

THAT HE WAS STILL IN DURBAN AND KZN,

AND THEY SHOULD POSSIBLY LOOK INTO TRYING TO APPREHEND HIM.

WELL I'M THE CPF CHAIRPERSON,

THE COMMUNITY POLICE FORUM CHAIRPERSON

FOR DURBAN NORTH AND UMHLANGA.

THE COMMUNITY POLICE FORUM OBVIOUSLY IS THE LINK

BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE POLICE.

IT'S ABOUT FORGING RELATIONSHIPS

AND GETTING THE COMMUNITY TO WORK WITH THE POLICE

AND THE POLICE TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY.

WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT A RAPE HAD OCCURRED. THAT'S A RARE THING.

YOU DON'T HAVE THESE TYPES OF VIOLENT CRIME IN OUR AREA.

IT BECAME A HIGH-PROFILE CASE FAIRLY QUICKLY,

ESPECIALLY WHEN WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE PERSON WAS ROBBED

AND THE SUSPECT WAS ON THE LOOSE.

THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER HAD AN ARTICLE OF TOM BESTER,

AND THERE WAS HIS FACE ON THE NEWSPAPER

SAYING THAT HE HAD RAPED, STRANGLED, AND STABBED HER.

THANKFULLY, SHE SURVIVED THE ORDEAL,

BUT HE HAD MADE OFF WITH HER PERSONAL POSSESSIONS AND HER CAR.

IT ANGERED AND FRUSTRATED ME

THAT IF ONLY, AT THE TIME, THE POLICE HAD TAKEN US MORE SERIOUSLY

WHEN WE REPORTED THIS INCIDENT IN MARCH OF 2011,

A RAPIST AND MURDERER WOULD HAVE BEEN APPREHENDED.

AND WE FOUND HIS FACEBOOK PAGE FAIRLY QUICKLY,

AND STARTED TO SEE THE INTERACTIONS HE WAS HAVING WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

YOU COULD SEE HE WAS SLICK, SUPER SLICK.

Chad Thomas is joining us via Zoom. Chad?

Look, South Africa is in the midst

of a horrific violent crime cycle.

IT WAS VERY INTERESTING, BECAUSE IT WAS THE VERY FIRST

SOCIAL MEDIA CRIME OF MAGNITUDE THAT WAS REPORTED ON.

EVERYBODY WAS INTRIGUED BY THE FACEBOOK RAPIST STORY,

AND FOLLOWED IT INTENSELY.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR WORTH THEIR SALT

THAT DOESN'T FOLLOW HIGH-PROFILE CASES.

I THINK EVERYBODY HAD A FACEBOOK PROFILE,

AND FACEBOOK WAS THE GO-TO SOCIAL MEDIA IN SOUTH AFRICA.

SO WE ALL CHECKED OUR FACEBOOK RELIGIOUSLY.

IT WAS THE FIRST THING WE DID IN THE MORNING,

IT WAS THE LAST THING WE DID AT NIGHT.

BACK IN THOSE DAYS, WE WERE VERY NAIVE,

WE WERE VERY GREEN WHEN IT CAME TO THE DANGERS OF SOCIAL MEDIA.

NOWADAYS, IN HINDSIGHT, YOU THINK TO YOURSELF,

"BUT SO MUCH FRAUD AND CRIME HAS BEEN PERPETRATED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA."

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BECOME SECOND NATURE TO US.

MY DAUGHTER PHONED ME AND TOLD ME

SHE HAD A JOB INTERVIEW IN DURBAN.

SHE WAS LIVING IN JOBURG AT THE TIME.

MTV PRESENTER, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.

FANTASTIC OFFER, ONE OF THOSE TOO-GOOD-TO-BE-TRUE OFFERS.

SHE WAS MODELLING FOR "FHM", AND HE HAD CONTACTED HER THROUGH THAT,

AND SHE WENT AND MET HIM AT THE SABC COFFEE SHOP.

HE HAD ALL THE DOCUMENTATION TO PROVE WHO HE WAS.

BUSINESS CARDS, EVERYTHING.

AND IT WAS LEGIT. HE WAS IN THE SABC BUILDING.

AT THE TIME, I WAS LIVING IN DURBAN,

SO IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO SEE HER.

THEY DROVE DOWN IN HER CAR TO CITY LODGE, AND THEN SHE ARRIVED,

AND SHE COULDN'T SEE ME WHEN SHE GOT TO DURBAN,

BECAUSE SHE HAD TO GO AND HAVE HER HAIR AND MAKEUP

AND ALL THE REST DONE, SO I SAT WAITING FOR HER TO PHONE

TO GO AND JOIN HER.

I GOT A PHONE CALL AND IT SAID I NEEDED TO GET THERE URGENTLY.

AND THEY SAID MY DAUGHTER WAS RAPED.

AT THAT STAGE, I WAS SITTING IN MY PYJAMAS.

I GOT DRESSED QUICKLY,

AND PUT HAZARDS ON AND DROVE ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

IT WAS A HUGE SHOCK.

IT WAS THE LAST THING ON MY MIND,

WHAT I WAS GOING TO BE WALKING INTO.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I EXPECTED, BUT.. SEEING HER SITTING THERE...

AND THEN I SAW HE HAD TAKEN HER...

HAIR STRAIGHTENER, THE CABLES FROM THE HAIR STRAIGHTENER,

AND USED THOSE TO TIE HER UP.

THEN THE POLICE ARRIVED.

AND FROM DURBAN NORTH POLICE STATION THEY WENT DOWN TO ADDINGTON HOSPITAL,

TO THE DISTRICT SURGEON.

THE DISTRICT SURGEON, HE SAT THERE WITH HIS BACK TO HER...

WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS.

I KNOW IT'S A JOB FOR HIM,

BUT THE JOB HE'S DOING IS WITH PEOPLE THAT NEED EMPATHY.

IN SOUTH AFRICA, AS WOMEN, OUR BODIES ARE CRIME SCENES.

GOING AND REPORTING INCIDENCES, WHETHER OF ABUSE OR RAPE,

IS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS TO DO.

BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PROVE THIS HAPPENED TO YOU.

THE POLICE GOT A IDENTIKIT FROM MY DAUGHTER,

AND THEY STARTED TRACKING HIM DOWN.

WE HAD BEGIN POLICE INVESTIGATION, AND TO TRY AN TRACK THE CELLPHONE,

TRACK THE TABLET THAT HE'D STOLEN.

AND HE'D TAKEN HER CAR, AS WELL, WHICH WAS QUITE QUICKLY RECOVERED.

AND OBVIOUSLY FINGERPRINTED AND PROCESSED.

HE USED HER CREDIT CARD TO COMMIT FRAUD,

AND WE TRACKED HIM VIA CCTV FOOTAGE TO GATEWAY,

AND HIT THE MAXIMUM LIMIT THAT HE COULD.

EVENTUALLY WE LANDED UP WITH ABOUT 15 DIFFERENT ALIASES.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE DOING AS MUCH RESEARCH AS WE COULD.

CLEARLY, THABO KNEW HOW TO DISPOSE OF THE CELLPHONES,

HE KNEW HOW TO DISPOSE OF CERTAIN ITEMS.

AND ESSENTIALLY, WE TRACKED HIM BACK TO DURBAN CENTRAL,

A KNOWN PLACE TO DISPOSE OF STOLEN ELECTRONIC GOODS.

AND THEN THE TRAIL WENT COLD.

I BELIEVE SHE WASN'T THE FIRST, SHE DEFINITELY WASN'T THE LAST.

SO GETTING HIM OFF THE STREET WASN'T EVEN A QUESTION,

IT HAD TO HAPPEN, HE HAD TO BE CAUGHT.

AND FOR MY DAUGHTER, FOR MY DAUGHTER MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT SOUNDS SELFISH, BUT FOR WHAT HE DID TO HER.

I COULDN'T STOP UNTIL HE HAD BEEN CAUGHT.

I LOST LOTS OF FRIENDS BECAUSE OF IT, BECAUSE I WAS SO DRIVEN.

YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND, I GOT ANGRY.

PEOPLE SAY, "HOW ARE YOU? ARE YOU OKAY?" WHAT DO THEY THINK?

NO. YOU'RE NEVER FINE.

I don't know how many times I gotta talk about this.

I don't know how many times we gotta bring up the list.

Why the hashtag's trend when another one's dead.

When another one's friend didn't make it to the end.

- Justice! - When do we want it?

Now!

WE KNOW THAT GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE DOESN'T ONLY AFFECT

THE VICTIM. THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF THAT FLOWS THROUGH TO THEIR FAMILIES,

IT FLOWS THROUGH THE SOCIETY, AND THE COMMUNITY

THAT THE VICTIM COMES FROM.

SOUTH AFRICAN PATRIARCHY IS FUNDAMENTALLY CONNECTED

TO SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICAL ECONOMY.

AND WHAT I MEAN BY THIS IS THAT THE WAY THAT OUR ECONOMY WAS BUILT,

ON THE BACKS OF CHEAP BLACK LABOUR TOILING IN THE MINES,

AND PRODUCING ENORMOUS WEALTH FOR A WHITE CAPITALIST CLASS.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, IT'S A STORY

THAT FUNDAMENTALLY TREATS THE HUMAN BODY AS SOMETHING

THAT IS A MEANS TO AN END, THAT IS DISPENSABLE,

THAT IS SOMETHING WITHOUT INTRINSIC INTEGRITY AND WORTH.

AND I THINK IT'S THAT ATTITUDE THAT GETS TRANSPLANTED

INTO THE SOUTH AFRICAN PSYCHE, IN THE SENSE THAT WE THINK OF WOMEN'S BODIES

AS THESE TOOLS FOR INDIVIDUAL SATISFACTION,

INDIVIDUAL GAIN, SOMETHING TO BE EXPLOITED AND DISPENSED WITH.

A LOT OF IT IS UNSETTLING, A LOT OF IT REQUIRES HOLDING UP

A MIRROR TO OURSELVES, AND THINKING DEEPLY

ABOUT THE SOCIETY THAT WE LIVE IN.

AND THE WAYS IN WHICH, IN SOME WAY, ALL OF US ARE COMPLICIT.

WE SET UP A PLAN TO TRAP HIM.

WE DECIDED WE WOULD TRY AND CATFISH HIM VIA FACEBOOK.

SO WE CAME UP WITH A WILD PLAN OF SETTING UP

ONE OF OUR FEMALE DETECTIVES, AND SHE WAS IN.

SHE GAVE US PHOTOGRAPHS OF HERSELF MODELLING,

AND WE MADE CONTACT WITH THABO, OR WITH KELLY.

TOOK THE HOOK FOR A WHILE.

AND THEN WE'D SET UP A PLAN TO MEET HIM IN THE UMHLANGA AREA.

WE HAD A WHOLE PLAN IN PLACE,

UNDERCOVER DETECTIVES, POLICE OFFICERS.

IT WAS A THING OF MOVIES, IT REALLY WAS.

UNFORTUNATELY, HE GOT SPOOKED, AND HE WENT COLD.

IT'S ALWAYS CRITICAL TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC,

AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT WITHOUT DIVULGING INFORMATION

SURROUNDING THE CASE. FOR ANY CASE.

WE DID A WANTED POSTER WITH HIS MOST RECENT CLEAR PHOTOS THAT WE'D HAD.

ONE OF THE THINGS HE HAD WAS, HE HAD THREE LITTLE LINES CUT

INTO HIS EYEBROW. THAT BECAME A MARKER,

BECAUSE WE NOTICED THAT HE'D HAD THAT PRETTY MUCH ALL THE WAY ALONG.

THE WANTED INFORMATION WAS CRITICAL, BECAUSE THEN PEOPLE WOULD SAY,

"I DON'T KNOW WHO KELLY YOUNG IS, BUT I KNOW WHO THABO BESTER IS."

OR, "I KNOW WHO RUFUS MAHOPO IS."

AND THE CALLS STARTED COMING IN, WITH ALL HIS ALIASES.

QUITE A LOT OF CALLS CAME IN FROM BED AND BREAKFASTS

THAT HAD BEEN SCAMMED. HE JUST STOLE, HE JUST TOOK A TV AND LEFT.

AND THEN WE WERE TRYING TO LINK THOSE CASES.

YOU PRODUCE WHAT YOU CALL A SUPER DOCKET.

SO SOCIAL MEDIA'S A VALUABLE TOOL

WHEN IT COMES TO INVESTIGATING CRIMES.

WE STILL USE IT TO THIS DAY.

SO THE FACT THAT IT WAS USED TO GREAT SUCCESS WAY BACK IN 2011

IS TO US A TESTAMENT OF HOW IMPORTANT SOCIAL MEDIA IS.

IN FACT, SOCIAL MEDIA, AT TIMES,

IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN MAINSTREAM MEDIA.

BECAUSE IT REACHES A LOT OF PEOPLE

WHO MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE INTERESTED IN WATCHING THE NEWS,

LISTENING TO THE NEWS, OR READING A NEWSPAPER.

I THINK THERE'S A MEME THAT'S DONE THE ROUND OVER THE YEARS

OF WHAT THERE WAS PRIOR TO SOCIAL MEDIA,

AND IT SHOWS A PICTURE OF A GROUP OF OLD LADIES ON DIFFERENT BALCONIES,

CHATTING TO ONE ANOTHER, AND WATCHING THE ROAD BELOW THEM,

AND REPORTING TO ONE ANOTHER WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND THAT'S WHAT THESE COMMUNITY-BASED GROUPS ON SOCIAL MEDIA HAVE DONE.

THEY'VE BEEN THE EYES AND THE EARS ON THE GROUND,

AND THEY'VE HELPED TREMENDOUSLY IN BRINGING PERPETRATORS TO JUSTICE,

BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, WARNING PEOPLE OF THE DANGERS THAT ARE LURKING.

I REMIND PEOPLE THAT WE CALL CON ARTISTS "CON ARTISTS"

FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT THE "CON" STANDS FOR "CONFIDENCE"

AND "CONVINCING". WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A CON ARTIST,

THAT PERSON KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT TO SAY, WHAT TO DO,

TO KEEP THE SCAM IN MOTION. AND THEN, OF COURSE,

THERE'S THE ADDED COMPLICATION THAT WHEN YOU ARE IN THAT SITUATION,

APART FROM EMBARRASSED, APART FROM BEING VICTIM SHAMED,

YOU HAVE A SENSE THAT PERHAPS THE AUTHORITIES DON'T HAVE CAPACITY

OR RESOURCES TO INVESTIGATE THAT CRIME.

I DIDN'T MEET THE VICTIM, MY VICTIM SUPPORT TEAM DID.

OBVIOUSLY THEY'D SPENT SOME TIME WITH HER CONSOLING HER,

OBVIOUSLY HELPING HER THROUGH THE RAPE KIT.

HE SORT OF CUTS THE CORD TO A BLACKBERRY PHONE,

TIES HER UP, AND IN THAT PROCESS, IT'S SPUR OF THE MOMENT,

ACCORDING TO HIM, HE THEN ENDS UP RAPING HER AND TAKING WHAT HE CAN,

AND LEAVING THE PREMISES.

THE ABILITY TO APPEAR, DISAPPEAR AND REAPPEAR SO QUICKLY

IS ASTOUNDING. HE WAS ON THE MOVE. MADE A POST ON FACEBOOK THAT,

"THIS IS NOT ME, THIS IS A DIFFERENT PERSON DOING THIS. I'M NOT THE ONE.

WILL YOU STOP BOTHERING ME?"

OBVIOUSLY HE WAS TRYING TO CONVINCE EVERYBODY

THAT HE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. HE ENJOYED THE CHASE.

I THINK HE GOT OFF ON THAT, VERY MUCH SO.

AND THEN MADE THE FAMOUS COMMENT...

I THINK THE HEAT WAS ON TOO MUCH FOR HIM, ALL 'ROUND.

HE WAS STARTING TO FEEL PRESSURE, HE REALLY WAS.

IT WAS THEN HANDED OVER TO THE HAWKS, TO THE SERIOUS VIOLENT CRIMES UNIT.

NOMFUNDO'S STORY DEFINITELY LEAVES A HOLE

IN THE BIG THABO BESTER STORY.

BECAUSE A LOT OF HIS VICTIMS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE

TO GATHER AN EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND ON WHO THEY ARE

AND THEIR RELATION TO BESTER.

AND WE HAVE TRIED TO FIND OUT A BIT MORE ABOUT NOMFUNDO,

BUT IT'S BEEN QUITE HARD.

WE'VE GONE TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY,

WHO SAID THAT THEY KNEW HER, BUT A LOT OF THOSE LED NOWHERE.

THERE'S STILL THIS INCREDIBLY SAD STORY SURROUNDING NOMFUNDO.

THABO BESTER'S BIGGEST VICTIM WE KNOW THE LEAST ABOUT,

AND TO ME THAT IS AN INJUSTICE.

ON THE 6TH OF OCTOBER, 2011,

POLICE IN ALBERTON ARRESTED THABO BESTER.

HE WAS CORNERED BY THE POLICE ON A FREEWAY, I THINK.

TOLL ROAD, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

LOCAL POLICE, WHERE HE WAS, CAPTURED HIM

AS JUST A GENERAL CRIMINAL. ALMOST LIKE HE MADE A BLUNDER.

ONE TOO MANY BLUNDERS.

IT'S KIND OF IRONIC THAT THERE WAS SO MUCH ENERGY

BEING INVESTED INTO THIS,

AND THEN HE GETS ARRESTED BY CHANCE.

BUT YOU OFTEN FIND THAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, WHEN A CRIMINAL GETS CAUGHT

BY, ALMOST, STEPPING ON THEIR OWN TOES.

I THINK ANYBODY THAT'S INVOLVED

IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SPACE, BE IT PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SECTOR,

IS HAPPY WHEN SOMEBODY'S BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.

AND I THINK, NOT ONLY AS SOMEBODY WHO WAS VERY ENGAGED

WITH SOCIAL MEDIA, AND AM STILL VERY ENGAGED WITH SOCIAL MEDIA...

IT WAS A RELIEF TO SEE THAT THERE WAS SOME WAY TO TRACK DOWN PERPETRATORS

OF HEINOUS CRIMES.

SO IT IS SADLY ALMOST NOT SURPRISING

THAT WHEN THABO BESTER WAS ARRESTED, HE WAS FOUND IN POSSESSION

OF ALL THESE UN-RICA'D SIM CARDS,

DRIVER'S LICENSES, ID DOCUMENTS.

WHAT IT DOES SHOW, IS THAT THE ONLY WAY SUCH A PERSON COULD HAVE ACCESS

TO A BANK ACCOUNT IS IF THEY HELD IT UNDER A FRAUDULENT IDENTITY,

OR IF THEY USED THE BANK ACCOUNT OF ANOTHER PERSON.

SO I INTERVIEWED HIM IN THE SERIOUS AND VIOLENT CRIME UNIT,

AND IT WAS JUST A DETECTIVE'S OFFICE.

THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF TRYING TO UNDERSTAND

WHAT THE OFFENDER WAS THINKING, WHAT'S THEIR MOTIVE.

WHAT MIGHT BE THEIR TYPE OF PERSONALITY.

BUT YOU DON'T SORT OF.. GO ALL PSYCHIC, IF I CAN PUT IT THAT WAY.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE REALLY WORKING WITH THE BEHAVIOUR

THE PERSON'S LEFT BEHIND. ON A MURDER SCENE, OF COURSE,

THE BODY AND THE GENERAL CRIME SCENE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT

THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. YOU KNOW, AUGMENTED BY THE AUTOPSY REPORT,

AND ANY OTHER FINDINGS AROUND THE TIME.

IT WAS VERY CLEAR, THOUGH, THAT HE WAS TRYING TO PRESENT THINGS

IN A WAY THAT HE WANTS SYMPATHY.

SO, WITH THE FIRST RAPE THAT WE ARE AWARE OFF, HE CLAIMS IN A NUTSHELL

THAT STARTED OF AS AN ATTEMPT TO STEAL STUFF FROM THIS LADY.

HE THEN TOOK HER DOWN TO DURBAN AND HE SAYS THAT IT WAS ONLY IN

THE SORT OF MOMENT AS HE SAW HER TIED UP, AND HER DRESS SORT OF LIFTED UP

THAT HE COULD SEE HER UNDERWEAR, THAT HE THEN THOUGHT

ABOUT ACTUALLY RAPING HER.

AS A MAN, HE FELT ENTITLED TO HAVE SEX WITH HER...

"BECAUSE I CAN." AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY,

WHERE.. SOME MEN SEE WOMEN AS SEXUAL OBJECTS.

A MEANS TO AN END. SHE CAN FULFIL A NEED.

SO WE JUST GOT THE NEWS THAT NOMFUNDO'S FAMILY'S DECIDED

- NOT TO SPEAK TO US. - MM-HM.

HAVE YOU FOUND IN YOUR WORK ON GBV REPORTING

THAT SOMETIMES FAMILIES DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT?

THAT IS ACTUALLY THE HARDEST PART OF THIS JOB.

AS JOURNALISTS, AS FILMMAKERS, AS STORYTELLERS,

WE WANT TO GET AS CLOSE TO THE STORY AS POSSIBLE.

BUT I'VE LEARNED IN MY CAREER, WHEN YOU DO GET THE FAMILY TO SAY YES,

IT TAKES INCREDIBLE STRENGTH AND BRAVERY FROM THEIR SIDE.

BECAUSE ONCE THEY TAKE THAT HOT SEAT, YOU ARE TAKING THEM RIGHT BACK

TO THAT MOMENT OF TRAUMA,

AND THEY ARE RELIVING EVERYTHING AS IF IT'S HAPPENING NOW.

SO I AM BY NO MEANS SURPRISED

THAT THE FAMILY DECLINED TO BE INTERVIEWED.

BECAUSE FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES THERE'S NEVER CLOSURE.

THE WAY SHE DIED IS UNACCEPTABLY BRUTAL.

WHAT HE TOOK FROM THEM, I DON'T THINK THEY CAN EVEN PUT IT INTO WORDS.

SO, YES, IT IS INCREDIBLY HARD.

IT WOULD'VE BEEN WONDERFUL TO GET TO KNOW NOMFUNDO

THROUGH THE EYES OF HER FAMILY.

I LOOK AT THAT SMILING PHOTO OF HERS,

AND FOR SOME REASON I WONDER WHAT HER LAUGHTER SOUNDED LIKE.

I REALLY WISH WE COULD'VE HAD HER FAMILY ON CAMERA,

BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT WHAT I WANT, THIS IS NOT ABOUT WHAT WE WANT,

IT'S NOT EVEN WHAT YOU AS THE VIEWER WANT.

IT'S ABOUT, REALLY, RESPECTING THE FAMILIES' DECISION NOT TO PARTAKE.

WHAT WE ARE LEFT WITH IS THABO BESTER'S STORY.

HE MET NOMFUNDO IN JANUARY 2011,

AT A BMW DEALERSHIP IN SANDTON,

WHERE SHE WORKED AS A SALESPERSON.

HE TOLD HER HE WAS WORKING FOR A TELEVISION PRODUCTION COMPANY,

AND THAT SHE LOOKED LIKE SOMEONE WHO WOULD LOOK GOOD ON TV.

HE STARTS TO, ACCORDING TO HIM,

REALISE THAT HE REALLY LIKES THIS LADY,

AND THAT SHE'S GOT A LOT OF SKILLS, AND HAS, SORT OF, A LOT OF POTENTIAL,

AND HE CAN USE HER. AND I THINK HE MEANS THAT IN VARIOUS WAYS.

HE THEN SORT OF CONVINCES HER THAT THEY SHOULD TRAVEL DOWN TO CAPE TOWN.

ALSO PROMISING HER SOMETHING ABOUT

A PHOTOSHOOT OPPORTUNITY. AND THEY CHECKED INTO A LUXURY HOTEL,

WHERE THEY STAYED FOR TWO NIGHTS.

HE AGAIN DOES THIS FALSE BOOKING WITH A FALSE EFT...

AND WHEN THEY LEFT, THEY THEN CHECKED INTO A VILLA

IN SUNSET BEACH.

THEY'RE SHARING THE SAME ROOM.

AND AT ONE POINT, SHE ALLEGEDLY HAD SEEN MESSAGES ON HIS PHONE,

WHICH SHE'D READ, AND REALISED THAT HE'S ESSENTIALLY IN A RELATIONSHIP.

AND, ACCORDING TO HIM, SHE CONFRONTS HIM ABOUT THIS, AND HE'S UPSET.

AND THE ARGUMENT BECAME QUITE HEATED,

BUT IT EVENTUALLY ENDED WITH THEM SETTLING THINGS,

AND THEN GOING TO BED.

HE WAKES UP A 03:00, REALISING,

"WELL THIS SORT OF GAME IS UP."

SO HE GOES AND GETS A KNIFE FROM THE GUESTHOUSE, COMES BACK...

NOMFUNDO WOKE UP,

ONLY TO FIND THABO BESTER STANDING IN FRONT OF HER.

HE DESCRIBES IT THAT THERE WAS SORT OF A TUSSLE,

AND SHE MUST'VE BEEN STABBED IN THAT PROCESS,

BUT HE WASN'T TRYING TO STAB HER, AND HE WASN'T TRYING TO KILL HER.

WHILE SHE WAS BUSY BLEEDING TO DEATH,

HE ASKED HER FOR THE PASSWORD TO HER LAPTOP.

AND AT AROUND 07:00, BESTER LEFT THE VILLA...

AND SORT OF TELLS THE GUEST HOUSE SHE'S SLEEPING LATE, AND HE'S OFF...

AND THAT SHE SHOULDN'T BE BOTHERED UNTIL ABOUT 14:00.

AND HE LEAVES.

SO LATER THAT EVENING, THE OWNERS OF THAT VILLA

BECAME SOMEWHAT CONCERNED, GIVEN THAT THEY HADN'T HEARD FROM NOMFUNDO,

AND WHEN THEY WENT TO THE ROOM,

THAT'S WHEN THEY UNCOVERED HER LIFELESS AND BLOODY BODY.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER RAPES IS THAT THEY WERE PART OF A SCAM.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO NOMFUNDO'S STORY,

THERE'S THE ALLEGED RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN HIM AND NOMFUNDO.

WHY ARE WE LED TO BELIEVE THAT VERSION?

SO EVEN IN THABO BESTER'S OWN VERSION OF EVENTS,

WHICH HE TOLD ME, THERE'S NO EFFORTS TO SAVE THIS PERSON.

HE DESCRIBES IT THAT THERE WAS SORT OF A TUSSEL

AND SHE MUST'VE BEEN STABBED IN THAT PROCESS BUT HE WASN'T TRYING

TO STABB HER OR HE WASN'T TRYING TO KILL HER.

BUT HE CAN'T REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY TIMES SHE WAS STABBED.

AND YOU KNOW, HE SAYS SHE WAS SCRATCHED AND THEN SHE'S ON THE BED

AND SHE STOPS MOVING, HE'S NOT SURE IF SHE'S ALIVE

SO HE KIND OF SHAKES HER AND THEN LEAVES.

UM, SO VERY MUCH PORTRAYED AS I CAN CONFESS...

AND I THINK HE WAS LITERALY, AS IF HE WAS

NOW ADMIT TO BEING SORT OF THE ONE HOLDING THE KNIFE

THAT CAUSED HER DEATH, BUT I CAN'T ADMIT TO MURDERING HER.

BECAUSE I DIDN'T SORT OF INTENTIONALLY STABB HER.

NOWHERE IN THAT STORY, EVEN HIS OWN VERSION OF EVENTS,

IS THERE ANY IOTA OF CARE FOR THAT VICTIM.

THABO BESTER WILL TRY AND TELL YOU SOMETHING

THAT'S GOING TO WIN YOUR SYMPATHY, MAKE HIM LOOK BETTER.

YOU CANNOT ACCEPT ANYTHING.

IF HE TELLS YOU THE SUN IS SHINING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY,

YOU BETTER GO OUTSIDE AND LOOK.

THERE'S ONE THING THAT I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT

IS PROBABLY... SOMETHING THAT'S GENUINE IN WHAT HE SAID.

AND I'll PARAPHRASE IT,

BUT HE REALLY SORT OF SAID IT ALMOST LIKE OUT OF THE BLUE.

AND HE SAID HE ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE

TO BE THE PERSON WITH THE KNIFE, TO BE IN COMPLETE CONTROL.

THAT IS VERY MUCH THE KIND OF STUFF WE OFTEN DO HEAR

FROM SERIAL MURDERERS AND SERIAL RAPISTS.

IT'S ABOUT POWER AND CONTROL, AND SOMETIMES, IN A WAY,

REPEATING THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO YOU.

THAT, IN A WAY, IT'S LIKE YOU CANCEL IT OUT, IF YOU'RE THE DOER,

AS OPPOSED TO THE PERSON IT WAS BEING DONE TO.

SO I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE FEW LITTLE GLIMMERS

WHERE HIS REAL KIND OF THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS CAME THROUGH,

AND FOR THE REST OF THE INTERVIEW, HE WASN'T TRYING

TO PRESENT HIMSELF AS AN OFFENDER.

IT WAS ACCIDENTAL, HE HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THIS.

THE KNIFE ACCIDENTALLY HURT THE MURDER VICTIM.

WE SAY SERIAL OFFENDERS DON'T USUALLY JUST STOP

THE TYPICAL PATTERNS THEY WILL CONTINUE.

WE KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT ONLY ONE IN 20 RAPE CASES

ARE REPORTED TO THE POLICE.

SO IF YOU DO CATCH SOMEONE WHO'S RAPED 20 PEOPLE,

YOU KNOW, YOU TIMES THAT BY 20, IS PROBABLY THE ACTUAL NUMBER.

TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TWO RAPES AND THE MURDER ARE HIS ONLY VIOLENT,

OR SEXUALLY VIOLENT OFFENCES IS VERY NAIVE.

I KNOW THERE'RE A LOT MORE.

I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT MORE THAT SPOKE TO THE POLICE...

THAT ARE TERRIFIED.

SOMETIMES YOU JUST BURY AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS,

AND YOU WANT TO THINK, "IT WAS TRAUMATIC FOR ME,

I WANNA FORGET ABOUT IT." BUT IT STILL HAUNTS YOU.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED TO ACCEPT, ACKNOWLEDGE, AND DEAL WITH.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT EVER GOES AWAY.

HIS PRESENCE, OR THE VERY THOUGHT OF HIM, STILL INSTILS FEAR IN ME.

AND THAT WAS WHEN I DECIDED THAT I THINK MY LIFE IS MORE PRECIOUS,

AND MY FAMILY, AND I DECIDED TO LEAVE THE INDUSTRY.

EMOTIONALLY, HE DID TORTURE US.

IT MIGHT BE A SMALL, LITTLE THING, BUT EMOTIONALLY WE REALLY FELT IT.

BUT AS FOR MATHABA...

I NEVER LIKED HIM FOR WHAT HE DID TO ME.

AND HE NEVER COME BACK AS A FRIEND TO SAY, "BROTHER, I'M SORRY,

LET'S CONTINUE, LET'S FIGHT THABO TOGETHER."

IS THIS THE FIRST TIME YOU GUYS HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT IT?

YES, YES, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE SPEAK ABOUT IT, TO SHARE A SPACE.

IT BROUGHT US BACK TOGETHER HERE, TO THE SAME SEAT.

HE SAT IN COURT, WITH A SMUG FACE,

SAME SMUG LOOK HE'S GOT ON HIS FACE NOW. EXACTLY THE SAME SMUG FACE.

THERE'S NOTHING HE COULD EVER SAY THAT WOULD MAKE ME FORGIVE HIM.

BUT IF HE HAD SHOWN JUST A INCH OF REMORSE,

MAYBE THE HATRED WOULDN'T BE AS BAD.

BUT HE'S NEVER, EVER SHOWN REMORSE.

NOT THEN, AND NOT NOW.

THE SENTENCE WAS 60 YEARS,

FOR MY DAUGHTER'S RAPE AND ASSAULT.

HE GOT HIS APPEAL. IT GOT CUT DOWN TO... FROM 60 YEARS TO 30 YEARS.

THE MURDER RAN CONCURRENTLY WITH THE RAPES.

WHICH IS ALSO ABSOLUTELY RUBBISH.

'CAUSE HE'S NOT SITTING TIME FOR IT.

HE DOESN'T DO ANYTHING FOR THE MURDER BECAUSE IT'S ALL CONCURRENT.

A LIFE SENTENCE IS 25 YEARS. SO IT WAS 25 YEARS,

AND THEN YOU'D BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE.

AND THEN HE'S OUT THERE DOING IT AGAIN.

THE LIFE SENTENCE IS TILL THE DAY YOU DIE,

THE QUESTION IS, WILL YOU BE SERVING SOME OF IT OUTSIDE WITH RESTRICTIONS,

OR IN PRISON? NOW THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN POSSIBLY BE RELEASED,

USUALLY, ON A LIFE SENTENCE FOR THE FIRST TIME,

WOULD BE AT A 25-YEAR POINT INTO YOUR SENTENCE.

YOU'D HAVE YOUR FIRST PAROLE HEARING, DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE GONNA GET PAROLE,

BUT YOU'LL HAVE YOUR FIRST HEARING.

AND THEN PROBABLY EVERY TWO YEARS THEREAFTER,

YOU'LL HAVE ANOTHER HEARING, AND ANOTHER HEARING, AND ANOTHER HEARING.

SO WHEN HE GOT THAT LIFE SENTENCE IN 2012,

HIS FIRST POINT AT WHICH HE WOULD'VE COME UP FOR PAROLE

WOULD'VE BEEN 25 YEARS FROM THAT, FAST FORWARD,

WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN 2037.

WELL HE DIDN'T WAIT THE FULL TIME.

SO HOW REMORSEFUL IS THAT, IF YOU PLAN AN ESCAPE?

THAT'S NOT REMORSE. I'VE WANTED TO TALK UP,

AND I WANTED PEOPLE TO SEE THE OTHER SIDE OF HIM.

BECAUSE IT'S ONLY HIS VOICE EVERYBODY'S HEARING.

SO I WANTED THEM TO SEE WHAT HE'S DONE,

THE LIVES HE AFFECTED. NOMFUNDO'S PARENTS,

I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE HOW THEY FEEL.

I, AT LEAST, GET TO SEE MY DAUGHTER.

AND PUT MY ARMS AROUND HER AND LOVE HER.

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO COME FORWARD.

I FOUND A POST FROM 2012, WHEN HE WAS PUT IN JAIL,

AND RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM, THERE'S A COMMENT FROM YOU.

JA, I WAS VERY WORRIED ABOUT NANDIPHA,

THAT THERE'S THIS PERSON THAT'S WORRYING MY FAMILY,

AND I THINK I KNOW WHO HE IS. CAN JUST SOMEONE HEAR ME OUT?

AND NO ONE HEARD ME OUT.

I MEAN, THAT WAS STILL WHEN HE WAS IN JAIL BEFORE THE ESCAPE.

AND I WAS USING DIFFERENT AVENUES.

AND NOBODY WAS LISTENING?

AND NOBODY LISTENED, NO ONE LISTENED.

IT WASN'T THE STORY OF THE DAY. YOU KNOW?

ESCAPED FACEBOOK RAPIST AND MURDERER, THABO BESTER,

IS STILL ON THE RUN.

Brace yourself, the whereabouts of Dr Nandipha...

...Magudumana was a no-show at her clinic in Sandton.

The pair has vanished.

Police are now working with private security companies

to try and apprehend him.

Agencies like Fidelity, ADT, have offered R100,000 reward

for information leading to his arrest.

But what has become very clear here,

is that the investigation will have to go much deeper,

much higher, and sideways.

We do not have a correctional service,

that the justice system is in tatters.

Somebody like Thabo Bester, we can almost assure you

that he has done something in the time that he has escaped.

And he has hurt more women.

I do not feel safe. So at what point

do we start holding government accountable?

- We found Bester. - When did you find him?

We found him, we sent to prison for life.

- No, but now he's escaped. - We'll find Bester...

We'll find Bester, prison,

for life, and 75 years.

Ja, where's he now?

Bester was.. Jumped out of correctional service,

and we are chasing Bester for the second time.

We found Bester.

- When did you find him? - We'll find him,

we'll send to prison for life.

Prison for life...

...and we are chasing Bester for the second time.

BUT WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF NANDIPHA?

DO YOU THINK THAT SHE'S AN ACCOMPLICE OR A VICTIM?

YOU KNOW, WHAT IS BEING DONE TO HER...

THAT WE DON'T KNOW?