Thabo Bester, has been transferred to the same Prison with Cat Matlala. Convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester has reportedly been transferred to Ebongweni Super Maximum Correctional Centre, South Africa’s most secure prison, a move that has once again drawn public attention to one of the country’s most notorious criminal cases.

Bester’s legal team says it learned of the transfer indirectly after a family friend, who was planning to visit him, received information about the move. According to the lawyers, they were not formally notified before the transfer, which is believed to have taken place overnight.

Prior to the relocation, Bester was being held at Kgosi Mampuru C Max Correctional Centre in Pretoria. The transfer follows his shocking escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre in 2023, an incident that stunned the country and exposed serious flaws in prison security systems.

At the time of his escape, Bester was serving a life sentence. The incident triggered widespread public outrage, multiple investigations and intense scrutiny of the Department of Correctional Services, particularly around security protocols and oversight at privately operated correctional facilities.

Department Confirms Super Max Transfer

The Department of Correctional Services has since confirmed that Bester is now being held at Ebongweni Prison, the country’s only super maximum-security facility, reserved for inmates deemed to pose an extreme security risk.

Department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said inmate transfers form part of routine operational processes guided by detailed security risk assessments. He added that such decisions are made to protect correctional officials, other inmates and the public at large.

Also Read – Hebanna! Not again. Reports of Nipah Virus Outbreak in India Spark Widespread Concern – Video