By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester has been handed an identity document.
Motsoaledi made the announcement during a media providing an update on the issuing of an ID card to Thabo Bester on Monday.
Bester’s identity has been the source of much speculation since he was brought back to South Africa from Tanzania last month following his escape from a prison in Mangaung last year.
Motsoaledi told members of the media that the department conducted an extensive investigation which included interviewing the biological mother of Thabo Bester, namely Meisie Maria Mabaso (born Bester).
“The investigation also involved reviewing the birth records of Thabo Bester at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital and data stored in the DHA systems.
“The outcome of the investigation revealed that despite Thabo Bester having attained the age 16 years, he has not applied for an identity card as required in terms of the law.”
This follows after engagements with Bester and the department to have relevant officials assist him in his application for an identity card in a letter on Monday last week.
“Thabo Bester was issued with the identity card on Wednesday, 17 May 2023,” Motsoaledi said.
“His name has now been entered into the National Population Register, thus ending many years of his status as an unidentifiable person. I have obtained the permission of Thabo Bester to show you a copy of his identity card.”
Motsoaledi also denied that Home Affairs visited Bester at the Kgosi Mampuru prison as some kind of “secret mission”.
He said the department arrived at the prison with a “highly visible” truck.
The minister said his department has obtained legal advice that there are strong legal grounds to revoke the passport of Dr Nandipha Magudumana.
“The Director-General will be taking due legal process steps in terms of the South African Passports and Travel Documents Act 4 of 1994 (read with the relevant regulations) to revoke the passport issued to Dr Nandipha Magudumana on 16 February 2017 due to expire on 15 February 2027.”
Motoaledi said the government has the right to revoke a passport if the person is extradited at the taxpayers’ expense.
Magudumana is expected to head to the Free State High Court this week to challenge what she believes to be her unlawful arrest.
She has argued that her arrest and extradition from Tanzania were unlawful adding that she wants the state to furnish her with the extradition papers from Tanzania.
Motsoaledi added that they are shocked that they were not put as respondents in the Magudumana court application in the Free State High Court.
“The director-general immediately addressed a letter dated 21 May 2023 to her attorneys raising objection to the non-joinder of the DHA and I and demanded that the ill-advised application be removed from the urgent roll.
“The letter corrected the wrong stance adopted that Magudumana was unlawfully ‘abducted’ or ‘extradited’ from the United Republic of Tanzania.
“Dr Nandipha Magudumana and Thabo Bester were declared prohibited immigrants in terms of the immigration laws of Tanzania and were therefore as a matter of law, liable to be deported back to their country of origin.”
This as in the court papers filed, Magudumana listed Police Minister Bheki Cele, Captain Tieho Flyman, Magistrate Mohlolo Khabisi as respondents, among others.
Meanwhile celebrity doctor Mmereka Ntshani, better known as Dr Pashy, has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Motsoaledi, giving him five days to withdraw “all defamatory statements and utterances” made against her.
During a media briefing last month, Motsoaledi said Magudumana had not stolen Ntshani’s identity.
He said Ntshani told police in 2019 that her passport had been stolen, but Ntshani told police in March this year that she had given Magudumana her passport to help her get a working visa in America.
Motsoaledi has retracted that statement and admitted that Ntshani did not depose to any such affidavit.
However, Motsoaledi said he stands fully by the statements he made that Ntshani’s two passports were found in possession of Magudumana in the United Republic of Tanzania.
“I would never apologize for those statements as they are true and were made in the public interest,” Motsoaledi said.
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