Thabo Bester’s repeated efforts to address the Free State High Court concerning his legal representation issues have yet again failed.
The presiding judge, Cagney Musi, expressed frustration with Bester’s ‘half-baked’ application and refused to hear the case. Bester had returned to the high court for a third pre-trial hearing attempt, which had previously been postponed primarily due to representation issues.
The trial date has now been set for February 10, 2025. While the legal teams for all other accused parties indicated their readiness, Bester’s representation remains uncertain.
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Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s advocate, Frans Dlamini, mentioned that her application to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) could impact her preparedness for the trial, adding another layer of complexity.
In October last year, the SCA agreed to hear Magudumana’s appeal against a judgment that maintained South African courts have criminal jurisdiction over her. Dlamini argued this might affect the trial timeline if the SCA hears the appeal before the trial.
Judge Musi acknowledged this but stated it would only concern Magudumana and not her co-accused.
Judge Musi addressed the issue of Bester’s legal representation and clarified that the application was not ready for hearing due to incomplete filings. Despite suggestions to handle the matter pragmatically, Bester’s advocate, Lerato Moela, continued to raise procedural concerns. Musi firmly stated, “The application is not ripe for a ruling.”
Bester’s own attempts to speak were also shut down, with Musi insisting he utilize his legal representative. The overall matter has been postponed to February.
