TV › Beauty and the Bester
Beauty and the Bester 2025
Beauty and the Bester represents a 2025 three-part true crime documentary series examining the case of convicted South African murderer and rapist Thabo Bester, who allegedly faked his death and fled prison in 2022, along with his connection to celebrity doctor Nandipha Magudumana, who is said to have assisted in the escape. This production was created by Storyscope and premiered on Netflix on 12 September 2025.
The documentary explores crime, deception, prison break scenarios, and the association between Magudumana and Bester, referencing parallels with narratives such as Bonnie and Clyde. Critics and media sources offered varied responses to the series, generally commending its genuine portrayal. Beauty and the Bester serves as the second production addressing this matter, succeeding Showmax's Tracking Thabo Bester released in 2024. Magudumana remains imprisoned at the Bizzah Makhate Correctional Centre, a female correctional facility located in Kroonstad, Free State. Bester is confined within C-Max, a high-security section of Kgosi Mampuru prison situated in Pretoria.
Crew
- Director
- Anthony Molyneaux
- Executive producer
- Neil Brandt, Laura Colucci, Thandi Davids
- Cinematography
- Shaun Harley Lee
- Music
- Siyabonga Sithole, Sean Ou Tim, Fezile Thela
Details
- Production
- Storyscope
- Network
- Netflix
