South Africa’s notorious criminal, Thabo Bester, who made news worldwide two years ago when he got arrested while on the run in Tanzania, has been transferred to eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Facility in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal, where inmates were reportedly held in single cells for up to 23 hours.
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) confirmed the transfer to Sunday World on Friday.
“Thabo Bester has been transferred to eBongweni. It has been a few days already. Before the move, he was housed at Kgosi Mampuru C-Max in Pretoria,” said DCS spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo.
SA’s super maximum prison
This is the same prison facility that alleged drug cartel member Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala was transferred to in December after he had been incarcerated in Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre. Matlala’s lawyers on Thursday called for his urgent transfer back to Gauteng. They argue that his continued detention in Kokstad is obstructing their ability to prepare for trial and undermining his right to a fair hearing.
Bester’s transfer comes as he continues to face criminal proceedings linked to his dramatic escape from lawful custody. This was despite him already serving life sentences for rape and murder.
His recent appearances in the Bloemfontein High Court have drawn national attention. The state prosecuted him on charges related to his 2022 escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre.
Bester allegedly faked his death while incarcerated at the privately run Free State prison. The escape later exposed serious security failures and alleged corruption within the correctional system. He is accused to having used a burnt body of another man as a decoy to fake his own death.
Dramatic arrest in Tanzania
His case attracted international attention following his dramatic recapture in Tanzania in 2023. A Netflix true-crime documentary on his dramatic life of crime was released in 2025. The documentary also included his girlfriend and partner-in-crime, celebrity doctor Nandipha Magudumana. She is imprisoned at the Kroonstad prison in the Free State, on the same charges.
Nxumalo said the reasons for Bester’s relocation should not be read as exceptional.
“It has to be emphasised that offender transfers are a routine practice. They are guided by established security risk assessments to ensure the safety, security and stability of correctional facilities and the broader criminal justice system,” he said.
He added that Bester would continue to receive care in line with correctional regulations.
“The offender will retain full access to legal representation, family communication and court processes.”
The department said all necessary logistical arrangements remain in place. And this is to ensure that court appearances and legal proceedings continue without disruption.
Most dangerous offenders
The eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Centre is South Africa’s only ultra-high-security prison. It is designed to house the country’s most dangerous and unmanageable offenders.
Operating on closed-maximum principles, the facility is known for its strict, contraband-free regime and prolonged inmate isolation.
Opened in 2002, eBongweni accommodates up to 1, 536 inmates. And it is widely regarded as a last-resort facility.
Correctional authorities view the facility as essential for managing extreme security risks. However, its harsh conditions have previously drawn criticism and legal scrutiny from detainees challenging access to legal counsel and fair trial rights.
