Magudumana’s lawyers deny that she got paid for ‘Beauty and the Bester’

September 12, 2025 238

Dr. Nandipha Magudumana’s legal team has denied claims that she received payment for the Netflix docuseries, ‘Beauty and the Bester’.

Advocate Dinana Reid, said any compensation Dr. Magudumana may have received was for legal fees.

This after the Pretoria High Court on Thursday heard that Magudumana was aware of the documentary and was compensated for access to her archives which are used in three-part docuseries.

The documentary premiered today, following a High Court ruling dismissing urgent applications by Magudumana and her partner, convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester, to block its release.

The couple argued that the documentary could violate their constitutional rights, including their rights to a fair trial, dignity, and equality.

Advocate Reid said Magudumana’s involvement was appropriate, as she is entitled to have her side of the story told.

She added that her client was unaware that her father, Zolile Sekeleni, appears in the series, claiming that the production company initially denied his involvement but it later became evident in the trailer.

Judge Sulet Potterilli dismissed the application with costs, noting that the pair’s legal team could still pursue damages if the documentary’s content proves harmful.

Bester’s representative, Advocate Inolofatseng Morero, expressed disappointment at the dismissal, saying the release causes irreparable harm and that seeking damages after the fact may not be sufficient to repair the damage.

She told YNews that her client’s name is being maligned.

Bester was serving a life sentence at Mangaung Correctional Center for two counts of rape and one count of murder when he allegedly escaped with Magudumana’s assistance.

The couple was arrested in April 2023 in Arusha, Tanzania, after skipping the country.

Bester, Magudumana and their co-accused are expected to return to the Bloemfontein High Court for pre-trial proceedings on 19 September.

South Africans have taken to social media, with many expressing excitement to watch the documentary following the court ruling.

Beauty & The Bester Doccie to go ahead. Both Nandipha’s case & Thabo’s case dismissed & struck off the role with costs! Let’s go @NetflixSA I’m ready!!! pic.twitter.com/WogoaKbqhc

— Farah C. Fortune (@fcfortune) September 12, 2025

Thabo Bester & Nandipha: Airing of the documentary will damage our reputation.

Me: pic.twitter.com/1119ZioEYj

— Nidakwa Kanjani NingenaLand (@Msigi_Emotion) September 11, 2025

Just finished Beauty and the Bester, I can’t wait for Nandipha to tell us her side of the story. How her and Thabo met, how she allowed him in his life.

— Lolo (@LollyRatsiu) September 12, 2025

Just watched Netflix documentary Beauty and the Bester.
Didn’t Thabo Bester called Facebook serial rapist? I thought he raped and murdered many women. documentary only talks about 1 woman.
Did I miss something in real life?@mphokophelo

— BlackPower….👊👊👊 (@MatselengG) September 12, 2025