Bester, Magudumana Trial to Resume as south Africa Faces Vehicleโข Recall, Murder sentencing
JOHANNESBURG – The main โขtrial for convictedโ rapist adn murderer Thabo โฃBester and his accomplice, Nandipha Magudumana, is set to returnโ to court today, September 19, 2025, as South Africaโค also grapples with a Mercedes-Benz vehicle โrecall and awaits sentencing in a high-profile murder case. Bester and Magudumana face charges related to Bester’sโ escape from โMangaung Prison in Mayโ 2022,aโ case that โcaptivated the nation.
Bester, Magudumana, and several co-accused, including โฃprison โฃofficials, will learn if theโ trial is ready to proceed. The pair โwere arrestedโค in Tanzania in April 2023 and returned to South Africa over two years ago, yet the โคtrial has been delayed. The court will also โฃaddressโ Magudumana’s Constitutional Court challenge to her deportation.
In a separate development, the National Consumer Commission (NCC) announced the recallโข of over 100 Mercedes-Benz vehicles due to โคsafety concerns.Affected models โคinclude the 4 EQE-295 โคand 98 GLC-254, โwith the NCC stating the steeringโ wheels do not meet required specifications. NCC spokesperson Phetho ntaba urged affected consumers to contact their nearest Mercedes-benz dealership.
Simultaneously occurring, the High Court in Johannesburg is expected toโ sentenceโ businessman Sibusiso Zitha for the murder of pastry chef Thembekile Letlape. Zitha was convicted in July of brutally stabbing Letlape multiple times in their Fourways home in May of last year, inโค front of his 10-year-old daughter. during mitigation, Zitha expressed remorse, stating heโข was a “broken man” overwhelmed by personalโ problems andโค asked Letlape’s family for forgiveness.โฃ The defence has requested a 10-15-year sentence,โ while the โstate seeks life imprisonment. Dr. Kgosi Letlape stated the family remains devastated.

