The family of disgraced celebrity doctor Dr Nandipha Magudumana has issued a heartfelt plea for privacy following the death of her mother, as false claims continue to circulate on social media.

In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday, the Sekeleni family dismissed widespread rumours that have gained traction on platforms such as Facebook — including claims that Magudumana is four months pregnant and that the family had approached government officials to negotiate her attendance at the funeral.

Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo confirmed that the viral claims are “fake news,” urging the public to refrain from spreading unverified information.

The Sekeleni family described the past few days as deeply painful, calling on the public and media to show compassion as they prepare to bury their loved one.

“In this time of profound sorrow, we… seek only your kindness and understanding,” the family said. “We are simply a family in mourning, trying to find our way through this darkness together.”

The statement firmly rejected allegations that any discussions had taken place with government officials regarding Magudumana’s possible presence at the funeral. Instead, the family stressed that their only focus is on honouring the life of their mother with dignity.

They also appealed for privacy, asking the media to refrain from covering the funeral and to allow the family space to grieve without intrusion.

“Our mother was the heart of our home, and she deserves a send-off as peaceful and beautiful as the love she gave us,” the statement read.

The exact date of the mother’s passing has not been publicly disclosed, but the family confirmed that funeral preparations are currently underway.

Magudumana, once a prominent aesthetic doctor who gained public attention for her high-profile lifestyle and business ventures, became a central figure in one of South Africa’s most shocking criminal cases. She rose to notoriety through her association with convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester, who orchestrated a dramatic prison escape in May 2022 by faking his own death in a fire at the Mangaung Correctional Centre.

Authorities allege that Magudumana played a key role in assisting Bester’s escape, including facilitating logistics and later fleeing the country with him. The pair were eventually arrested in April 2023 in Tanzania after weeks on the run, in a case that gripped the nation and exposed serious lapses within the correctional system.

Following her extradition to South Africa, Magudumana was detained at the hospital wing of the Kroonstad correctional centre in Free State, where she remains in custody facing multiple charges, including fraud, corruption, and aiding an escape.

Her legal battles have continued to draw public attention, but the Sekeleni family has now urged that the focus shift away from controversy and towards their personal loss.

“As Nandipha carries both the weight of her personal journey and the pain of losing her mother, we ask that she too be given the room to grieve in peace,” the family said.

The incident highlights the growing impact of misinformation on grieving families, particularly in high-profile cases. Despite official confirmation that the circulating claims are false, the rumours have continued to spread online, prompting renewed calls for responsible social media use.

For the Sekeleni family, however, the message remains clear: this is a time for mourning, not speculation.