South Africa’s ‘Invisible Man’: Government Confirms Thabo Bester Is A No-Show In Official Records, Has No ID Or Passport
The South African Government has confirmed that Thabo Bester is not registered in the Home Affairs system and has no ID or passport.
Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has updated the nation regarding the identities and documents gaffe related to Thabo Bester and Dr Nandipha’s case, which has also dropped in Dr Mmereka Ntshani, also known as Dr Pashy.
Thabo Bester – Man Of Many Names
Criminal mastermind Thabo Bester had a disturbingly fluid identity. Over his career, he used names which include Thomas Bester, Tom Bester, Thabo Tom Bester, Tom Kelly, Thomas Kelly Bester, Thomas Berter, TK, Thomas Kelly Young, Kelly Young, Thomas Magagula, Thabo Magagula, Tom Motsepe, Kelly Johnstone, Rufus Mahopo and Tom Rufus Reddy.
After his dramatic 2022 escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre, he used the name TK Nkwana to fleece unsuspecting home seekers.
When he and Dr Nandipha Magudumana was captured by Interpol, Tanzanian police and the South African Criminal Intelligence Unit on 7 April, they had several passports in their possession bearing multiple identities.
Thabo Bester Has No Passport Or ID
Home Affairs Minister Dr Aarom Motsoaledi has held a press briefing and revealed that Thabo Bester is not registered in the country’s registry, raising concerns if the name is even his.
He shockingly revealed:
“Thabo Bester left home when he was 16 years old before his family could register an ID for him. So, it was easy for him to commit crime because his fingerprints couldn’t be found anywhere.
The National Population Register found two Thabo Besters, one aged 19 and the other, a 40-year-old, who presented himself to the police when the story broke. Thabo Bester never registered at Home Affairs.
“The only records that exist are at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, where he was born in 1986. He doesn’t have an ID or passport. Thabo Bester was in possession of an American passport that belongs to Tom Williams Kelly.”
Dr Nandipha’s Passport Scandal
Minister Motsoaledi further updated the media that Dr Nandipha’s real passport was issued in 2017, and she has never used it.
When she was arrested in Tanzania, she had two other passports; one belonging to Dr Pashy and it expired in 2022. The home affairs minister added that Dr Pashy claimed she gave her new passport to Bester and Dr Nandipha because they would apply for her working citizenship visa in the US.
