The Department of Correctional Services has confirmed that convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester has been transferred to the eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Centre in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal, described as the country’s most secure and strictest prison.

The high-risk maximum-security facility is managed on Closed Maximum Principles and houses offenders who fit a specific risk profile.

Correctional Services says inmate transfers are a routine security measure, based on risk assessments to maintain safety and stability within facilities and the broader justice system.

It is not clear whether there were any recent changes in Bester’s risk profile.

The department adds that Bester will continue to receive care in line with regulations and will still have full access to legal representation, family communication and court processes.

Logistical arrangements are in place to ensure his court appearances and legal proceedings continue without disruption.

Bester famously escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022, staging a fire and faking his own death, with the help of his girlfriend, Nandipha Magudumana, and others.

After living the high life in Johannesburg for some time, the “Facebook rapist” was finally caught in Tanzania in April 2023, where, together with Magudumana, they were extradited to South Africa.

His escape trial has been beset with delays as he has sought to challenge his extradition on a technicality, alleging ill treatment in jail and frequently changing legal representation.

The matter is expected to be back in court in July 2026.