Who is funding Thabo Bester? Housing executive Naledi Kgatla linked to legal fee claims

Naledi Kgatla, who serves as Head of Corporate Support at the Housing Development Agency has emerged at the centre of fresh controversy surrounding convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester, following claims that she allegedly assisted in managing aspects of his legal representation.

Court documents and sources allege that Housing Development Agency executive and Kgatla Group CEO helped coordinate legal teams and legal costs linked to Thabo Bester’s case.

The allegations come as Bester and several co-accused prepare for trial in connection with his alleged escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022.

Sources familiar with the matter claimed Kgatla maintained a close association with Bester following his return to South Africa from Tanzania after his arrest in April 2023.

According to The News Desk, the source alleged that Kgatla had visited Bester in prison and had become actively involved in coordinating some of the legal teams representing him.

Another source further alleged that Kgatla had financially supported Bester’s legal processes, although these claims remain disputed.

Court documents seen by The News Desk reportedly place Kgatla at the centre of a legal fee dispute involving Senior Advocate Mokotedi Mpshe and attorney Dinana Reid.

The dispute before the Randburg Magistrates Court relates to an alleged unpaid amount of R35,000 for consultation fees linked to legal work connected to the Bester matter.

According to the documents, Kgatla appears as the plaintiff, while Advocate Mpshe is seeking payment from Reid, who previously represented Bester.

The court papers also allegedly suggest that Kgatla played a role in introducing Reid to Mpshe.

The News Desk reported that Reid confirmed that she knew Kgatla and that she had been introduced to Bester through her.

Reid said Kgatla approached her in 2023 seeking legal representation for someone she described as a friend and later informed her about a consultation meeting with Advocate Mpshe.

“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 being responsible for the disputed legal fees, insisting that she never formally briefed Mpshe.

“I did not appoint Advocate Mpshe. He was appointed by Naledi Kgatla, just as I was,” Reid alleged.

She further claimed that Kgatla coordinated aspects of the legal engagements and also covered her legal invoices.

“As far as I understood it, Naledi was the one coordinating matters,” Reid said.

Kgatla, however, denied allegations that she was involved in Bester’s legal or financial affairs.

She rejected claims that she funded Bester’s legal representation or acted as his alleged paymaster.

Kgatla denied any involvement in appointing legal representatives, saying the only interaction her company, Truth Be Told, had with Thabo Bester was related to assisting him with a journal project.

Asked about the nature of her relationship with Bester, Kgatla said any interactions between them were likely professional and related 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 having influence over legal proceedings involving Bester.

“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.

In a later written response, Kgatla said she had no legal authority to discuss matters relating to other people’s legal affairs.

Efforts to obtain comment from Advocate Mpshe were unsuccessful at the time of publication.

The Housing Development Agency confirmed that Kgatla is employed as Head of Corporate Support. Questions were submitted to the agency, and responses were still awaited.

Bester is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his girlfriend, Nomfundo Tyhulu, as well as convictions for rape and armed robbery.

He also faces additional charges linked to his alleged prison escape, including fraud, corruption, arson, defeating the ends of justice and violating a corpse.

Authorities allege that a charred body was placed in Bester’s prison cell in an attempt to fake his death and facilitate his escape.

Bester and his co-accused, including Nandipha Magudumana, are expected to stand trial on 20 July.