Thabo Bester Takes on Netflix in Legal Battle Over Explosive New Documentary
Thabo Bester has launched an urgent application in the Pretoria High Court to block the global streaming giant Netflix from airing a documentary about his life and alleged crimes. The film, titled ‘Beauty and the Bester’, is scheduled for release on the platform on the 12th of September.
Bester, who is currently being held at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Facility, claims the documentary’s very existence is a gross violation of his most fundamental legal rights.
Bester’s founding affidavit asserts that the documentary’s content infringes upon his constitutional rights to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law, his right to a fair trial, and his right to dignity. He is seeking a permanent interdict to prevent Netflix from “streaming, advertising, or publishing” the film.
This is not the first time Bester has attempted such legal manoeuvres; last year, he and his partner, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, similarly and unsuccessfully tried to stop the broadcast of a Showmax docuseries, ‘Tracking Thabo Bester’, arguing it would jeopardise their upcoming trial.
Thabo Bester Fights Netflix Over New Documentary
The legal team representing the infamous inmate became aware of the Netflix project on the 20th of August when its trailer was published on YouTube. Bester states that upon viewing the preview, he immediately instructed his lawyers to act. They sent a formal request to Netflix, demanding the trailer be removed and that the company commit to shelving the entire project. According to court papers, the demand was met with silence.
“I respectfully submit that unless interdicted the documentary will cause me irreparable harm in that my constitutional rights will be infringed, my reputation and dignity will be harmed and integrity of the ongoing and/or pending legal proceedings in the Bloemfontein high court will be prejudiced,” Bester declared in his sworn affidavit.
He believes the documentary presents allegations of a criminal nature as established fact, without affording him a right of reply, thereby painting him as guilty in the court of public opinion long before his actual trial has concluded.
A Project “Abandoned” and Then Revived Without Consent
Bester’s court papers reveal a surprising previous connection to the Netflix production. He claims that early in 2023, he and Dr Magudumana were directly approached by filmmakers to participate in a documentary about his life and the circumstances surrounding his dramatic escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre and subsequent capture in Tanzania. Negotiations were reportedly held but ultimately collapsed.
“Negotiations were held regarding the direction of the documentary, but no consensus could be reached between the parties. Accordingly the project was abandoned,” Bester stated.
He now alleges that Netflix proceeded with the project without his involvement or consent, and that the final product has deviated significantly from what was initially discussed, leaning heavily towards what he terms his “vilification”. The outcome of his urgent application to silence the streamer is now awaited.
