Bloemfontein - The case of Dr Nandipha Magudumana and her partner Thabo Bester has exposed how dysfunctional the state of South Africa is, says ActionSA provincial chairperson Patricia Kopane.
Kopane joined those in the public gallery while Magudumana and her co-accused, including her father Zolile Cornelius Sekeleni, made a brief appearance at the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Kopane said her party was calling on Magudumana and Bester to spill the beans and reveal exactly who assisted them with their prison break, travel across borders and enjoy luxury amenities while Bester was imprisoned.
She said their easy access to passports and undetected travel out of South Africa further raised questions of how many others were experiencing the same luxuries in and out of the country.
“It goes to show that Home Affairs employees are not vetted.
“We believe this case is the tip of the iceberg. More investigations need to be done because it’s definitely not only these four or five people involved,” she said.
Kopane said she wished Magudumana would “come clean” and expose exactly what happened and who was involved.
“Corruption is one of the things chasing investors from South Africa. How can people come into a country where they’re not safe, where criminals are treated like royalty?
“This case clearly shows that when you are connected and educated, you are treated better than ordinary South Africans,” Kopane said.
Magudumana and her co-accused, former G4S prison warder Senohe Matsoara and Integritron CCTV technician Tebogo James Lipholo, were remanded in custody until May 3 and 4 when their bail applications are expected to be heard.
Her father, Sekeleni, was granted R10 000 bail, which the State did not oppose as it said he was facing schedule 1 offences. His murder charge has been dropped for now.