The documentary series Tracking Thabo Bester which made headlines after Judge Stuart Wilson ruled on Friday in the Johannesburg High Court that the documentary may indeed be broadcast, attracted the most viewers for a documentary program even on the first day, says Showmax.
RNews earlier reported that the first two episodes of Tracking Thabo Bester was made available exclusively on Showmax on March 15 at 4:00 p.m.
“The crime doc was also the most watched across all genres over the weekend and received rave reviews, with IOL’s Oluthando Keteyi writing that ‘it left her mouth hanging open’ and Leon van Nierop describing it as ‘evil, bizarre and brilliant’ described,” the statement said.
Showmax says this documentary is exactly what South Africans have been waiting for after it was found in March last year that the convicted murderer and rapist did not die in cell 35, but that the body of an unknown person was smuggled into the prison and in Bester ‘s cell was set on fire. Bester was caught shopping at Woolworths in Sandton City months later.
Bester had been at large since May 2022 after he faked his death and escaped from the maximum security prison in Bloemfontein.
He was the most Googled person in South Africa in 2023, with his girlfriend and co-accused, Nandipha Magudumana, in fourth place on this list.
“The whole country was obsessed with their stormy story of love, murder, corruption and deception. Daily Maverick named them both ‘SA’s Villain of the Year’.”
Tracking Thabo Bester consists of four episodes and deals with one of South Africa’s most touching stories of someone who escaped from prison. The trial of the case begins in June this year. The documentary sheds light on why Bester was dubbed the Facebook rapist and how he ended up behind bars; how a famous doctor fell for a convicted criminal; and who really died in cell 35, says Showmax.
Tracking Thabo Bester was produced by the award-winning IdeaCandy. The production house was also responsible for, among other things Rosemary’s Hitlist, Devils town and Stone heist. Nikki Comninos (Convict Conman) was the director.
