15 March (2024-03-15) – 22 March 2024 (2024-03-22)
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Tracking Thabo Bester is a South African true crime mini television documentary series based on the story of the dramatic prison escape of murderer and rapist Thabo Bester and his alleged accomplice girlfriend, "celebrity" medical doctor Nandipha Magudumana. It was directed by Nikki Comninos,[1] and produced by IdeaCandy,[2] it premiered on 15 March 2024 on Showmax.[3]
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 Nandipha and convicted murder and rapist Thabo 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.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5] 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.[2]
^Goldbart, Max (4 March 2024). "Showmax Doc To Spotlight South African Convict Who Faked His Own Death By Burning In His Cell". Deadline. Archived from the original on 7 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
^ abHeever, Megan van den (15 March 2024). "Tracking Thabo Bester: How to watch the gripping docu-series". The South African. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
^ abRall, Se-Anne (9 March 2024). "Showmax and Multichoice stand by decision to air 'Tracking Thabo Bester' docu-series". Independent Online. Archived from the original on 9 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
^Mavata, Khanya (11 March 2024). "Showmax receives legal demand from Thabo Bester lawyers". The South African. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
^Rall, Se-Anne (9 March 2024). "Dr Nandipha Magudumana and Thabo Bester threaten legal action over release of 'Tracking Thabo Bester' documentary". Independent Online. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
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