Joburg – In a country where poverty is likened to a pandemic, South Africans were shocked to learn that the government spent a whopping R1.4 million for the private jet to transport convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester.
The private jet landed in the country last week, transporting Bester and his girlfriend, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, after they were arrested in Arusha, Tanzania, just over a week ago.
This was after the duo fled South Africa amid reports that Bester, dubbed the Facebook Rapist, did not die in cell 35 in a maximum security prison, which is the G4S-run Mangaung Correctional Facility, in May 2022.
In fact, he was allegedly aided by Magudumana and others in staging his own death and walkout, which some officials labelled an “escape”.
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi confirmed that his department paid this amount when briefing the National Assembly committee on home affairs today on all matters relating to Bester’s escape and his subsequent re-arrest.
Motsoaledi said the private jet was on the insistence of the Tanzanian authorities for deportation.
He added that the department used a charter company on a Treasury database to transfer 14 officials as well as the pair.
He said Bester had on him a United States passport with the name of Tom Williams.
“We don’t know whether the passport is authentic or not, but this is a US passport.
“That’s the only passport he (Bester) was carrying, and according to our records, this passport was never used at any ports of entry; the passport was used nowhere,” he said.
Motsoaledi said Magudumana had no interest in his department until she was found with Bester in Tanzania; they wanted to know who she was.
“And of course, we found her everything on the National Population Register; there’s nothing untoward about her; she had been given IDs and all that,” Motsoaledi said.
Some South Africans took to social media to comment on this matter.
Twitter user Lepzaa wrote: “They came back in style… they were probably sipping champagne there.”
They came back in style... they were probably sipping champagne there...
— Lepzaa (@lepzaaa) April 18, 2023
Another user, Alan Peter wrote: “our government have no mercy left in them, so much suffering, yet they don’t care, R1.4 million is like one thousand four hundred rands to some. I think its the numbering and digits that most don’t understand basic counting… must the zeros”.
our government have no mercy left in them, so much suffering, yet they don't care, 1.4 million is like 1 thousand four hundred rands to some , i think its the numbering and digits that most dont understand basic counting .......must the zero's
— Slow Roaster (@alanpeter796) April 18, 2023
The Star