The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) confirmed on Friday that convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester has been transferred to the eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Centre in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal, one of South Africa’s most secure prisons. The move comes amid ongoing concerns about his high-risk profile and the aftermath of his notorious escape three years ago. 
DCS spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said the transfer followed a security risk assessment, noting that such relocations are routine and designed to maintain safety and stability across the correctional system. Nxumalo emphasised that Bester will continue to receive appropriate care and retain full access to legal representation, family communication, and ongoing court processes. 
“The transfer of offender Thabo Bester to eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Facility was conducted according to established security and operational protocols,” Nxumalo said. 
Who is Thabo Bester?
Bester, born in Johannesburg in 1986, is a convicted rapist and murderer who earned infamy in South Africa as the so-called “Facebook rapist.” He used the social media platform to lure victims with fake modelling opportunities before raping and robbing them, and was later convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for those crimes.
In May 2022, while serving his sentence in the privately managed Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein, Bester staged a dramatic escape by faking his own death after a fire broke out in his cell. A charred body was initially believed to be his, but DNA evidence later showed it belonged to another man, exposing one of the most audacious prison breaks in recent South African history. 
After nearly a year on the run, Bester was arrested on 8 April 2023 in Arusha, Tanzania, alongside his partner, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, who faces multiple charges, including aiding his escape and fraud. The pair were extradited back to South Africa, and Bester has since been held at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Facility in Pretoria pending further legal proceedings.
The decision to move Bester to eBongweni has sparked strong reactions on social media. One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote:
“This move actually makes sense. Thabo Bester being sent to eBongweni Super Max isn’t a surprise — it’s a correction. Right place, right level of security. Cat Matlala is already there. It’s clear the system has finally stopped taking chances.”
They added:
“Some people have shown over and over that they can’t be trusted in ordinary prisons. Once you’ve embarrassed the system and proved you’re a serious risk, you don’t get a second round. That’s exactly why super-max prisons exist.”
Another user commented:
“That was supposed to be the case since 2022 following the Tanzania arrest. The recommendations of the Steering Committee KZN DPP Harrison spoke about at the Madlanga Commission have been applied accordingly.”
Second High-Profile Transfer to eBongweni
Bester is now the second high-profile inmate moved to the eBongweni facility in recent months. Alleged crime kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala was transferred to the same super-maximum centre on 21 December 2025, according to DCS, in response to security assessments and operational requirements.
Matlala, who faces charges including attempted murder, money-laundering, and conspiracy related to an alleged shooting incident involving his former girlfriend, was previously held at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre in Pretoria before his relocation. 
Authorities have stressed that transfers between facilities aim to enhance security while upholding detainees’ legal rights and access to justice.
