Thokozile Mnguni
A prominent CEO of a property group and Head of Corporate Support at the Housing Development Agency, Naledi Kgatla, has emerged at the centre of fresh allegations involving convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester, where she is allegedly his new paymaster when it comes to his legal fees.
Kgatla, CEO of Kgatla Group, is alleged by multiple sources and court documents seen by The News Desk to have played a significant role in matters linked to the appointment of Bester’s legal team and management of budgets pertaining to legal costs.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Kgatla is not only closely associated with Bester but also allegedly became involved in coordinating some of the legal teams to defend Bester in the alleged escape from prison.
“She has had a close relationship with Thabo since they brought him back from Tanzania. She even visits him in prison. I don’t know why she would involve herself with a convict,” one source alleged.
Another source claimed there was a personal history between Kgatla and Bester.
“Sadly, the extent of the financial legal support for Bester by Kgatla doesn’t even extend to poor Nandipha Magudumana”, the source added.
The allegations emerge as Bester and several co-accused prepare for trial over one of the country’s most closely watched criminal cases, linked to his alleged escape from prison in May 2022.
Court documents obtained by The News Desk place Kgatla at the centre of a legal fee dispute involving Senior Advocate Mokotedi Mpshe and attorney Dinana Reid.
The matter before the Randburg Magistrates Court relates to a claim for R35,000 in alleged unpaid consultation fees tied to legal work connected to the Bester case, in which Kgatla is the applicant.
According to the documents, Advocate Mpshe is seeking payment from Reid, who previously represented Bester, with references in the documents to both Bester and Kgatla.
When approached for comment, attorney Dinana Reid confirmed that she knew Kgatla and that she introduced her to Bester.
Reid said Kgatla approached her in 2023 while seeking legal representation for what she described as a friend.
She said Kgatla informed her that Advocate Mpshe wanted to meet Bester’s legal team and arranged a consultation.
“She told me there was a meeting arranged with Advocate Mpshe and that he needed to meet Thabo’s legal team. That is when I was introduced to him for the first time,” Reid said.
Reid denied responsibility for the disputed legal fees and insisted she never briefed Advocate Mpshe.
“I was shocked to receive a summons from Advocate Mpshe alleging that I owe him R35,000 in consultation fees. I did not appoint Advocate Mpshe. He was appointed by Naledi Kgatla, just as I was,” she said.
She further alleged that Kgatla had already interacted with Mpshe before their introductory meeting and that she was the one who informed her about the consultation.
According to Reid, she attended the meeting with her junior counsel.
“As far as I understood it, Naledi was the one coordinating matters. I fail to understand why I am now being dragged into this dispute,” Reid said.
Reid also confirmed that Kgatla took care of her legal invoices.
“Kgatla was paying my legal fees, and in all fairness, she should pay Mpshe because she engaged with him directly as an advocate on the Bester matter,” Reid said.
She maintained that questions regarding the nature of Kgatla’s relationship with Bester should be directed to Kgatla herself.
The News Desk contacted Kgatla for comment and put the allegations to her directly.
Kgatla denied being involved in Bester’s legal or financial affairs and rejected claims that she had funded legal representation for him.
She also denied being Bester’s alleged “paymaster”.
During a telephonic interview, Kgatla said she had no knowledge of the dispute involving Bester’s legal representatives and insisted she was not financially capable of funding anyone’s legal defence.
“I’m not involved. I don’t appoint lawyers. The only record I know that we kept of Thabo is when he wanted us to do his journal because that’s what my company, Truth Be Told, does,” she said.
Asked about the nature of her relationship with Bester, Kgatla said any interaction between them would likely have been professional and linked to her work as a writer and publisher.
“We could have had a working relationship if we worked together based on the nature of the work that I do involving books and journals,” she said.
Kgatla also denied influencing legal proceedings or legal representatives linked to Bester.
“I don’t have powers. I’m an ordinary citizen, and I cannot instruct anyone on anything. I need finances myself, so I can’t afford to fund Thabo’s legal fees,” she added.
During the interview, Kgatla later indicated she wished to seek guidance from individuals familiar with media engagement before commenting further.
She subsequently sent a written message to The News Desk distancing herself from any authority over Bester’s legal matters.
“I just checked with someone right now and put in writing that I don’t have the power of attorney to discuss other people’s legal issues, and I’ve been advised and believe that I have no legal authority to discuss other people’s legal issues. On those items, you can contact them directly. Have a great day,” she wrote.
When contacted for comment, Advocate Mpshe said: “I have perused your email. Unfortunately, I don’t discuss matters already in court. I can only state that there is a dispute regarding my fees and that summonses have been issued. I don’t litigate through the media.”
The News Desk contacted the Housing Development Agency. An employee confirmed that Kgatla is indeed Head of Corporate Support and requested an email with questions. The questions were sent, and a response is still awaited.
The latest allegations add another layer of intrigue to the sprawling Bester saga, which has drawn national attention since his alleged escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022.
Bester is serving a life sentence for the murder of his girlfriend, 26-year-old model and car salesperson Nomfundo Tyhulu, as well as rape and armed robbery convictions relating to offences committed in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
He is also facing additional charges, including alleged escape from lawful custody, fraud, corruption, violating a corpse, defeating the ends of justice and arson linked to the same alleged escape incident.
Investigators allege that a charred body was placed in his prison cell in an attempt to fake his alleged death and facilitate his alleged escape from custody.
Police investigations later uncovered an alleged network involving prison officials, former G4S employees and other individuals accused of assisting in the alleged escape.
Magudumana, who is accused of helping orchestrate the escape, has also been accused of allegedly facilitating payments to some of the individuals allegedly involved in the alleged escape.
Following Bester’s alleged escape, the pair travelled through several countries in southern Africa before entering Tanzania in March 2023.
They were arrested in Arusha on 8 April 2023 after being tracked by authorities and were deported back to South Africa.
Magudumana is currently detained at Bizzah Makhate Correctional Centre, while Bester is being held at eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Facility under strict security conditions.
The pair, along with several co-accused, including Magudumana’s father, Zolile Sekeleni, former prison officials and former G4S employees, are expected to stand trial on 20 July.