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Tracking Thabo Bester

{{Short description|South African mini docuseries}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}

{{Use South African English|date=March 2024}}

{{Infobox television

| image = Tracking Thabo Bester.jpg

| genre = Docu-series

| creator = IdeaCandy

| based_on = {{Hlist|Thabo Bester|Nandipha Magudumana}}

| writer = Nikki Comninos

| director = Nikki Comninos

| starring = {{Plainlist|* Nkosinathi Sekeleni

  • Marecia Damons
  • Daniel Steyn
  • Ernusta Maralack

}}

| country = South Africa

| num_seasons = 1

| num_episodes = 4

| list_episodes =

| executive_producer =

| producer = IdeaCandy

| cinematography =

| runtime = 55–70 minutes

| company =

| channel = Showmax

| first_aired = {{Start date|2024|03|15|df=y}}

| last_aired = {{End date|df=y|2024|03|22}}

}}

Tracking Thabo Bester is a South African true crime mini television documentary series based on the prison escape of Thabo Bester and his alleged accomplice, Nandipha Magudumana. Produced by IdeaCandy,{{Cite web |last=Heever |first=Megan van den |date=2024-03-15 |title=Tracking Thabo Bester: How to watch the gripping docu-series |url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/tracking-thabo-bester-showmax-how-to-watch-the-gripping-docuseries/ |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=The South African |language=en-ZA}} it was written and directed by Nikki Comninos.{{Cite web |last=Goldbart |first=Max |date=2024-03-04 |title=Showmax Doc To Spotlight South African Convict Who Faked His Own Death By Burning In His Cell |url=https://deadline.com/2024/03/showmax-doc-thabo-bester-1235842902/ |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=Deadline |language=en-US |archive-date=7 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240307124221/https://deadline.com/2024/03/showmax-doc-thabo-bester-1235842902/ |url-status=live }} It premiered on 15 March 2024 on Showmax.{{Cite web |last=Rall |first=Se-Anne |date=9 March 2024 |title=Showmax and Multichoice stand by decision to air 'Tracking Thabo Bester' docu-series |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/showmax-and-multichoice-stand-by-decision-to-air-tracking-thabo-bester-docu-series-912b0b3b-2874-489a-b794-cb7c59b203f6 |access-date=11 March 2024 |website=Independent Online |archive-date=9 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240309165107/https://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/showmax-and-multichoice-stand-by-decision-to-air-tracking-thabo-bester-docu-series-912b0b3b-2874-489a-b794-cb7c59b203f6 |url-status=live }}

Background

The documentary racked up the most first day views of any documentary ever on the Showmax streaming platform, and was also the most watched title across all genres over launch weekend. IOL's Oluthando Keteyi calling it "jaw-dropping" and Rapport's Leon van Nierop describing it as "angry, bizarre, brilliant."

While the documentary features many voices, Showmax and broadcasting service Multichoice chose not to interview alleged accomplice Magudumana and Bester for the miniseries. The Department of Correctional Services does not grant interviews with inmates who have not shown rehabilitation. Showmax and Multichoice confirmed they received a letter of demand from Bester and Magudumana a week before broadcast. Bester and Magudumana instructed their legal teams to take actions and launch an application with the Free State High Court ahead of the release of the docu-series. On 9 March 2024 in documents addressed to Showmax and Multichoice, Magudumana requested a full and complete copy of the documentary to verify if there are issues that could detriment her rights, and in the interval, Bester stated that he did not grant any permission to produce, distribute or commercially exploit a documentary or film on his life.{{Cite web |last=Mavata |first=Khanya |date=2024-03-11 |title=Showmax receives legal demand from Thabo Bester lawyers |url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/showmax-receives-legal-demand-from-thabo-bester-lawyers/ |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=The South African |language=en-ZA |archive-date=11 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240311185219/https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/showmax-receives-legal-demand-from-thabo-bester-lawyers/ |url-status=live }} It was said that if MultiChoice and Showmax fail to meet the 2pm deadline, an urgent application will be filed at the High Court of South Africa.{{Cite web |last=Rall |first=Se-Anne |date=9 March 2024 |title=Dr Nandipha Magudumana and Thabo Bester threaten legal action over release of 'Tracking Thabo Bester' documentary |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/dr-nandipha-magudumana-and-thabo-bester-threaten-legal-action-over-release-of-tracking-thabo-bester-documentary-d9e4cee5-dcc6-4d81-8248-a5840eece4fa |access-date=11 March 2024 |website=Independent Online |archive-date=11 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240311053647/https://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/dr-nandipha-magudumana-and-thabo-bester-threaten-legal-action-over-release-of-tracking-thabo-bester-documentary-d9e4cee5-dcc6-4d81-8248-a5840eece4fa |url-status=live }} Under South African law convicted criminals are not allowed to make money from their crimes, and thus it would not be legal for Bester to gain commercially from content related to his breaching of the law though his rapes, murder, fraud and escape.

On 15 March 2024, Judge Stuart Wilson of the Johannesburg High Court dismissed the urgent application laid by the celebrity doctor, and the convicted murderer and Facebook rapist to have the show cancelled, thus giving Showmax and MultiChoice the green light to release the docu-series which later went live on Showmax that day. In his judgement Wilson expounded, all that Bester and Magudumana had shown was “generalised anxiety” that the documentary will talk about them, and that will in some way affect their interests. “Reading the applicants’ papers, I find almost nothing that even rises to conjecture or speculation,” Judge Wilson said, dismissing the applications. “There is no other right in the law to pre-publication approval, where a public figure as Mr Bester arguably is, is the object of a media piece. Prosecutors have an overriding duty to ensure that the trial is fair in all respects,” Wilson said. Speaking to City Press outside court, Steven Budlender, group general counsel at MultiChoice, said they were delighted that the Johannesburg High Court upheld the public's right to watch the Tracking Thabo Bester documentary. The show aired its first two episodes on 15 March 2024 and it aired the remaining episode three and four a week later on 22 March 2024.

Characters

= Participants =

= Interview archive =

=Cast table=

{{Cast indicator|tense=past|media=season|appeared=Tracking Thabo Bester series with main role|V}}

: {{Color box|#deffde|border=darkgray}} = Main cast

: {{Color box|#ffe3e4|border=darkgray}} = Recurring cast

: {{Color box|#dbebfe|border=darkgray}} = Guest cast

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center; font-size:100%; width:70%"
style="width:15%;" rowspan="2"|Cast and crew

! style="width:20%;" rowspan="2"|Notes

! colspan="4"|Episodes

style="width:10%;"|1

! style="width:10%;"|2

! style="width:10%;"|3

! style="width:10%;"|4

Nkosinathi Sekeleni

| Nandipha's brother

| colspan="1" {{cMain}}

| colspan="3" {{cNone}}

Marecia Damons

| GroundUp journalist

| colspan="2" {{cMain}}

| colspan="2" {{TBA}}

Daniel Steyn

| GroundUp journalist

| colspan="2" {{cMain}}

| colspan="2" {{TBA}}

Ernusta Maralack

| Section editor, Rapport

| {{cNone}}

| {{cMain}}

| colspan="2" {{TBA}}

William Shoki

| Socio-political commentator

| colspan="2" {{cMain}}

| colspan="2" {{TBA}}

Dr. Simba Chikwava

| Consulting pathologist

| {{cGuest}}

| colspan="3" {{TBA}}

Nathan Geffen

| Editor and founder, GroundUp

| {{cGuest}}

| colspan="3" {{TBA}}

Glenda Daniels

| Associate professor in media studies, Wits University

| {{cGuest}}

| colspan="3" {{TBA}}

Chriselda Lewis

| Senior journalist and anchor, SABC

| {{cGuest}}

| colspan="3" {{TBA}}

Ronald Lamola

| Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

| {{cGuest}}

| colspan="3" {{TBA}}

Thandeka Chauke

| Legal counsellor: citizenship and statelessness

| {{cNone}}

| {{cGuest}}

| colspan="2" {{TBA}}

Dr Gérard Labuschagne

| Investigative forensic psychologist

| {{cNone}}

| {{cGuest}}

| colspan="2" {{TBA}}

Anele Siswana

| Clinical psychologist

| {{cNone}}

| {{cGuest}}

| colspan="2" {{TBA}}

Meisie Mabaso

| Bester's mother (EWN and eNCA audio recordings)

| {{cNone}}

| {{cGuest}}

| colspan="2" {{TBA}}

Mathaba Kgalanyane

| rowspan="3"|Extras

| {{cNone}}

| {{cGuest}}

| colspan="2" {{TBA}}

Johnny Maponya

| {{cNone}}

| {{cGuest}}

| colspan="2" {{TBA}}

Shalini Indradeo-Calidin

| {{cNone}}

| {{cGuest}}

| colspan="2" {{TBA}}

Episodes

{{Episode table|background=#800080|overall=|title=|director=Nikki Comninos|writer=Nikki Comninos|writerT=Teleplay by|airdate=|released=y|episodes={{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 1

|Title = The Fire in Cell 35

|DirectedBy = Nikki Comninos

|WrittenBy = Nikki Comninos

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|2024|03|15}}

|ShortSummary = A journalist exposes an inconvenient truth that Thabo Bester is alive and at large. The investigation reveals his dark plans with his partner in crime Dr Nandipha, involving stolen bodies, double lives and scams worth millions.

|LineColor = 800080

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 2

|Title = #AMINEXT

|DirectedBy = Nikki Comninos

|WrittenBy = Nikki Comninos

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|2024|03|15}}

|ShortSummary = Bester's getaway prompts a search for the criminal who committed rape and murder, and should be incarcerated. Returning to Bester's early years, it is evident that he had the characteristics of a deceitful fraudster. His crimes have a ripple effect, causing destruction in their aftermath.

|LineColor = 800080

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 3

|Title = Episode 3

|DirectedBy = Nikki Comninos

|WrittenBy = Nikki Comninos

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|2024|03|22}}

|ShortSummary = A glamorous doctor who had it all, but chose a criminal life. Her family has been destroyed in the process. Why did Nandipha do it? Is she another victim or a cold-blooded accomplice in love with Bester?

|LineColor = 800080

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 4

|Title = Episode 4

|DirectedBy = Nikki Comninos

|WrittenBy = Nikki Comninos

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|2024|03|22}}

|ShortSummary = If Bester is alive, then who is the dead body? The forensics of the night reveal a grieving family and a corrupt prison system implicating high-ranking officials. Amidst the chaos, Bester and Nandipha exploit the legal system.

|LineColor = 800080

}}}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{IMDb title|tt31566734}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:South African television series

Category:Showmax original programming

Category:2024 South African television series debuts

Category:2024 South African television series endings

Category:South African television miniseries

Category:South African documentary television series

Category:South African television series endings