Latest news with #NandiphaMagudumana
The South African
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The South African
'Nandipha Magudumana' spotted in another country in viral video
A South African beauty queen visiting New York has been mistaken for criminally accused celebrity aesthetics doctor, Nandipha Magudumana. In a viral video, Mbali Dlamini – a former Miss SA finalist and reigning Miss Charm 2024 – has been compared to the former businesswoman. Ironically, Nandipha – who is being held in custody at a Kroonstad correctional centre – is accused of helping her co-accused Thabo Bester escape prison in 2022. The alleged couple are currently facing charges of orchestrating his 2022 prison escape, defrauding the public, and violating multiple bodies. In a viral TikTok video, model and beauty pageant queen Mbali Dlamini posted a vlog about visiting New York. The content creator vlogged parts of her trip, where she appeared walking in the streets of the popular city. Social media users were shocked at her unhappy resemblance to Nandipha Magudumana, the aesthetics doctor. Some genuinely believed that the woman in the clip was the criminally accused doctor… @nomfundodondala: 'The justice system has failed us!' @nkosi85lemenz: 'Magudumana new country, new life!' @ 'Corruption in SA? Yoh!' Mbali Dlamini responded to the comments, appealing to South Africans to stop comparing her to Nandipha Magudumana. @_mbalidlamini First vlog, really nervous 😭💀😂 ♬ original sound – Queen of Earth 🌎👑 It's likely not the first time Mbali Dlamini has been compared to Nandipha Magudumana. With her slim frame, sophisticated sense of style, and high cheekbones, the beauty queen is surely a doppelganger to the Last year, the Strategic Brand Communication graduate and model from Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal won the title of Miss Charm 2024. In 2019 – the year Zozibini took the crown – she was even named a Miss SA finalist. Meanwhile, Nandipha Magudumana, Thabo Bester, and their co-accused are facing charges of orchestrating his 2022 prison escape, defrauding the public, and violating multiple bodies. Earlier this month, they appeared at the Free State High Court for a pre-trial hearing, which has been postponed to 19 September. Their trial is set to begin on 10 November at the Bloemfontein High Court. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
19-06-2025
- IOL News
Dr. Nandipha Magudumana and the emotional toll of bad choices: when love becomes a life sentence
Dr Nandipha Magudumana is not just a headline or a meme - she's a woman who has lost her medical career, her children, her freedom and public favour all for a man. Image: CrimeInSA/X In her most recent court appearance, Dr. Nandipha Magudumana looked nothing like the woman South Africa once knew. Once styling in designer heels and confidence, she now looks worn out, hollow-eyed, visibly thinner and almost unrecognisable. Her gaunt figure, drawn face and lifeless eyes left social media users stunned. 'Nandipha looks like a shadow," a user on X wrote, while another bluntly added: "Nothing ages you faster than stress." Meanwhile, Thabo Bester, the convicted killer and fraudster with whom Magudumana allegedly orchestrated a dramatic prison escape, sat in the same courtroom appearing well-groomed and composed. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 1/ The recent court images of Dr. Nandipha Magudumana since her detention have sparked debate about her wellbeing & state of mind, so here's my in-depth thread 🧵 about her psychological state based solely on visual cues & time in prison… — KrucbalXqution (@KrucbalXqution) June 18, 2025 That difference between the visibly broken woman and a calm Bestern has ignited conversations far beyond just this high-profile court case. It's now become a mirror of how society views mental strength, gender and the emotional cost of bad choices. So, why does it often seem that women carry the emotional burden more visibly, especially when they're the ones on trial for making destructive choices in the name of love? The breakdown isn't always about guilt, it's about being human. "Independent Media Lifestyle" spoke to Dr. Giada del Fabbro, a Johannesburg forensic psychologist to help unpack what's going on beneath the surface of this tragic transformation. Magudumana once had it all - a successful career, a public image and two young daughters who looked up to her. Image: X "This perception that women 'break' while men 'endure' is rooted more in social conditioning than biology," explained del Fabbro. She added: 'Women are taught to express emotions of sadness, anxiety, even shame while men are rewarded for suppressing theirs. The public watches Nandipha fall apart and reads it as a weakness. But what if it's just honesty?" Every time I see Dr Nandipha Magudumana, I can't stop thinking about her kids. How do you even begin to explain to them that you chose a convicted murderer over them and threw your entire life away for crime? Shuuuu — ✨Pebbles (@PebblesNeo) June 17, 2025 It's easy to forget that Dr Nandipha is not just a headline or a meme. She's a woman who has lost her medical career, her children, her freedom and public favour - all for a man - one that doesn't appear to be losing sleep. Smart women, destructive choices The bigger question still lingers: how does someone so accomplished fall into such a toxic trap? Dr. Nandipha Magudumana is a perfect example that you can be highly educated and still be a fool. Educated fool.🚮 — Masemola Amo (@Masemola_Amo) June 17, 2025 "Highly educated women aren't immune to psychological vulnerabilities," del Fabbro said. "Attachment trauma, emotional manipulation and a deep need for acceptance can cloud judgement. Over time, toxic partners erode logic. What may seem like a choice is often the result of prolonged psychological entanglement.' Thabo Bester, the convicted killer who orchestrated his escape from prison with the alleged help of his girffriend, looks dapper and unstressed in court. Image: CrimeInSA/X In other words, intelligence doesn't shield anyone from emotional exploitation, especially when love is used as a weapon. Magudumana may have started out in control, but slowly, piece by piece, she lost her grip. In South Africa, public scandals involving women are almost always laced with moral judgement. As netizens critiqued Magudumana's weight loss, her complexion, her no-name brand make-up and her supposed regrets, fewer people seemed to ask why Bester, the man at the centre of the scandal, appeared unfazed. Rather, the comments were about how composed he was. 'Thabo is glowing' was just one comment that highlights this. "There's a double standard," del Fabbro explained. 'Women are judged on more than their crimes; they're judged on their looks, motherhood, femininity, even how they cry in court. Men face public scrutiny too, but theirs rarely includes their emotional state or domestic roles.' That difference between the visibly broken woman and the composed man has ignited conversations far beyond just this high-profile court case. Image: X Magudumana isn't just facing criminal charges. She's carrying the extra burden of betraying the image of the "perfect woman" as professional, maternal and composed. 'People forget that emotional expression is not weakness. It's often a sign of just how much someone has endured.' Many South African women relate to Magudumana's unravelling. Not because they've seemingly helped a criminal escape but because they've made mistakes, silenced their instincts or stayed in toxic relationships out of fear or misguided love. "I feel sorry for her," said one woman online. "I've made bad choices for a man too. The shame is real." Dr. Nandipha Magudumana during a recent court appearance, looking like her problems are bearing down on her. Image: CrimeInSA/X Fewer things impact our mental health quite like poor decision-making. When we regret the choices we make, it's easy to overthink things, place blame, worry and become anxious. When we talk about bad decisions, we often focus only on the person who made them. But behind every headline and court appearance is a ripple effect, one that quietly crashes into the lives of innocent people, especially children and close family. Magudumana once had it all - a successful career, a public image and two young daughters who looked up to her. So, why do people stick to bad choices, even when things fall apart? Experts say it's often because decisions are made in the heat of the moment, driven by emotion instead of logic. Whether it's falling in love with the wrong person or making a risky move, strong feelings like fear, love, or desperation, can cloud our thinking. And once we've gone down that path, we tend to double down. We try to protect the choice even if that means making more poor decisions to cover up the first one. Now imagine this ripple, a mother behind bars. Children grow up with unanswered questions and a sense of possible shame. Parents and relatives left to explain the unexplainable. And family names dragged through headlines. And while the law may be dealing with her crimes, her "community" is dealing with the ripple effects of her decisions. This courtroom drama might fade from the headlines. But the lessons about mental health, emotional manipulation and the gendered cost of scandal, are here to stay.
The South African
03-06-2025
- General
- The South African
NPA to oppose Magudumana's latest bid over her deportation
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says it will oppose disgraced celebrity doctor Nandipha Magudumana's latest court bid to challenge her deportation from Tanzania. On 16 May, the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed Magudumana's application to declare her deportation from Tanzania unlawful. Magudumana was arrested with her lover and convicted criminal Thabo Bester in Arusha, Tanzania, in April 2023 after fleeing South Africa. The South African previously reported that in June 2023, Bloemfontein High Court Judge Phillip Loubser dismissed Magudumana's application for her arrest and deportation from Tanzania in April 2023 to be declared unlawful and set aside. Loubser dismissed her application with costs, saying he is not convinced that the case has a prospect of success and that a different court might come to a different conclusion. Magudumana had alleged South African police in Tanzania abducted her and contended that since her arrest was unlawful, the criminal proceedings against her in the Bester escape case were null and void, and she should be released from the Bizzah Makhate Correctional Centre in Kroonstad where she is held. On Friday, 16 May, Supreme Court Justice Tati Makgoka said the matter is dismissed with costs. NPA national spokesperson advocate Mthunzi Mhaga told the SABC that they still have to meet with their legal team and confirmed that they will file an opposition within 10 days. 'We take the view firmly so that the process of deporting Dr Nandipha Magudumana from Tanzania in April 2023 to South Africa was a seamless and above board process. There's no untoward conduct on the part of the team that escorted her. We are very much aware that there was a minority judgement that ruled in her favour, however, the majority judgement is in our favour,' Mhaga said. Magudumana's lawyer, Machini Motloung, also told the SABC that they are confident regarding their latest legal challenge, as they are of the firm view that there are prospects of success in their application for leave to appeal the SCA ruling. Motloung said that another court, in this case, the Constitutional Court, may as well arrive at a different conclusion. 'We will remain confident on the merits of our case,' he said. Regarding his client. Motloung said she remains resolute and confident in the justice system as they are following due processes. 'As I always say, she might be dismayed but not despondent. She's prepared and ready to see that justice ultimately gets done in the case. She firmly believes that there was unlawfulness in the manner in which she was handed over to the South African authorities, and hence she's pursuing this route,' he added. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
19-05-2025
- The South African
SCA Confirms: SAPS didn't abduct Magudumana in Tanzania
The Supreme Court of Appeal was asked to decide whether Dr Nandipha Magudumana was unlawfully arrested and 'abducted' by South African Police Service (SAPS) members in Tanzania, then flown back to Johannesburg. At issue is not only the legality of her removal but also South Africa's jurisdictional reach beyond its borders. Here's how the courts unraveled the facts. Magudumana, a suspect in the high-profile escape of convicted murderer Thabo Bester, fled South Africa and was later located in Tanzania. Magudumana launched an urgent application in the Free State High Court, claiming that on 6 April 2023 she was arrested on Tanzanian soil by SAPS officers, blindfolded and forced onto a Department of Home Affairs aircraft for deportation to South Africa . Had this been true, such cross-border action would have been unlawful under both South African and international law. The High Court found that although Magudumana's deportation resembled an 'extradition dressed up as a deportation,' she had consented to return to care for her children and therefore acquiesced to the process. On appeal, however, the Supreme Court of Appeal (per Zondi DP) focused on pleadings: Magudumana failed to establish that any SAPS member arrested her in Tanzania. Instead, the Tanzanian authorities had detained her for immigration offences, handed her to SA consular officials, and only upon arrival at Lanseria Airport was she formally arrested by SAPS . Accordingly, the appeal was dismissed. This judgment underscores that SAPS may not unilaterally extend its powers into foreign sovereign territory. Any allegation of cross-border arrest must be pleaded with clear factual detail. Moreover, it reaffirms that a court will decide disputed factual versions against the applicant when urgent, final relief is sought. For South African law enforcement, the ruling is a cautionary tale: jurisdictional overreach abroad will not be condoned without explicit legal authority. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Eyewitness News
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
NPA ready for ConCourt battle should Magudumana choose to escalate bid for freedom
JOHANNESBURG - The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it would be fully armed for a Constitutional Court battle should Dr Nandipha Magudumana choose to escalate her bid for freedom to the apex appeal was dismissed in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on Friday, with the majority of the justices rejecting her claim that her deportation from Tanzania was a disguised extradition. ALSO READ: Magudumana remains an accused in Thabo Bester prison escape case after SCA judgment The disgraced doctor was brought back to South African soil in April 2023 after she was captured while on the run with convicted killer Thabo escaped from the Mangaung Prison where he was serving a life lawyers said she had not decided whether to take her bid to the highest court in the the NPA's Mthunzi Mhaga said they were ready. "We are ready to release our legal prowess, our prosecutorial arsenal to make sure they lose at the apex court as well."
