This is what Thabo Bester will be challenging at his upcoming court appearance

By Marcus Moloko

Convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester is preparing to appear in the Bloemfontein High Court on December 5, with his legal team intent on challenging not only the charges against him, but the conditions of his incarceration.

Bester has said that his treatment at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre violates his constitutional rights and undermines his ability to receive a fair trial.

Bester escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in 2023 by faking his death in a cell fire, allegedly with the help of Dr Nandipha Magudumana. He is demanding that the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) relax his prison conditions.

He is seeking contact visits with family and legal counsel and has said he should be treated like a person awaiting trial and not a convicted inmate.

At the heart of Bester’s argument, according to social media ongoing discussions, is Section 35(3)(h) of the South African