Nandipha Magudumana

Nandipha Magudumana
Born
Nandipha Sekeleni

(1989-09-15) 15 September 1989
Bizana, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Other namesDr. Nandipha
EducationUniversity of the Witwatersrand (BHSc, MBChB)
OccupationMedical doctor
Years active2014–2021
Known forMaking the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans finalist
Criminal statusIncarcerated
Spouse
Mkhuseli Magudumana
​
(m. 2013)​
PartnerThabo Bester
Children2
Medical career
Profession
InstitutionsOptimum Medical Aesthetics Solutions
Sub-specialtiesCosmetic surgery solutions
Websiteoptimumsolutions.co.za

Nandipha Magudumana (née Sekeleni), also known as Dr. Nandipha, is a South African former medical practitioner and celebrity doctor who graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand. Her medical license was revoked, and she is currently imprisoned in Kroonstad, Free State.

Early and personal life

Born Nandipha Sekeleni on 15 September 1989 in Bizana, Eastern Cape,[1][2] and raised in Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal.[3] She completed her primary and high school studies at Port Edward Primary School and Port Shepstone High School, respectively. She went on to study medicine and graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2013.[4][5] Magudumana holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Biomedical Sciences, a Bachelor of Surgery and a Bachelor of Medicine.[2]

She was married in 2013, to a medical doctor, Mkhuseli Magudumana, and they had two children.[6] The couple entered into a civil marriage, and although they are no longer together, according to the Department of Home Affairs database, they are still registered as married.[1]

Career

After furthering her studies, she worked at Edenvale Hospital in 2014 for a year before moving to Far East Rand Hospital, where she became a highly sought-after physician specialising in anesthesiology, dermatology, plastic surgery and administering related medications.[2] In 2017, Magudumana founded Optimum Medical Aesthetics Solutions, a facility that offered procedures for cosmetic surgery in Morningside, Sandton.[4] In 2018, Magudumana was named a finalist for the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans,[7] the SADC Top 100 Young Leaders,[2] and the Top 20 Most Influential Young South Africans lists.[8] In 2019, she treated high-profile clients, including that year's Miss Universe, Zozibini Tunzi.[9]

In 2021, Magudumana's medical license expired. In May 2023, the South African political party, the Democratic Alliance, requested that the Health Professions Council of South Africa revoke her medical license due to her failure to pay annual fees in April 2021.[10][11] Magudumana and Thabo Bester co-founded Arum Properties, a construction company in 2021. GroundUp used a March 2023 piece to allege that they used the firm to scam people, and that it convinced numerous people to pay millions of rands for renovations and construction projects of which they never delivered.[12]

On 7 April 2023,[1] Magudumana was arrested in Arusha, Tanzania, alongside Bester.[13] She was deported to South Africa six days later,[1][13] and has since been imprisoned at the Bizzah Makhate Correctional Centre, a women's only prison, in Kroonstad, Free State.[14] A trial for Magudumana and Bester was set to begin on 10 February 2025 at the Bloemfontein High Court.[15] However, it was delayed and rescheduled to 21 July 2025.[16] On 16 May 2025, the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed Magudumana's bid to have her arrest and deportation in Tanzania declared unlawful.[17][18] The date of the trial was then moved to 19 September of that same year.[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Ngcobo, Nokuthula (17 April 2023). "Mkhuseli Magudumana: 5 facts about Dr Nandipha's ex-husband". The South African. Archived from the original on 16 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Mbuthia, Mercy (13 September 2023). "Nandipha Magudumana: Meet the Doctor who plotted Thabo Bester's escape [Pics]". The South African. Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  3. ^ Sulaiman, Nasifa (30 April 2023). "From the lap of luxury to a life with a fugitive – how Dr Nandipha Magudumana left it all to follow the Facebook rapist". News24. You. Archived from the original on 8 June 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2025. Nandipha was born in the Eastern Cape village of Bizana and brought up in Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal, where she worked hard to achieve her goal.
  4. ^ a b "Dr Nandipha Magudumana, 31 | Powerful Women". The Power of Women. Mail & Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  5. ^ Sulaiman, Nasifa (20 April 2023). "From the lap of luxury to a life with a fugitive – how Dr Nandipha Magudumana left it all to follow the Facebook rapist". News24. You. Archived from the original on 10 July 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2025. She lost contact with him when she went on with her studies, graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees from Wits in 2013.
  6. ^ Ngcobo, Nokuthula (27 March 2023). "Who is Dr Nandipha Magudumana's ex-husband Mkhuseli?". The South African. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  7. ^ "'Smart, sophisticated': Psychologist who interviewed Thabo Bester in 2011 says he has 'worsened' in prison". TimesLIVE. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  8. ^ Nkosi, Ntombi (13 April 2023). "Who is Dr Nandipha Magudumana and how deep in trouble is she?". Independent Online. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  9. ^ Molyneaux, Anthony (30 March 2023). "WATCH | Dr Nandipha, from beauty boss to 'fugitive': Holidays, cars and celebrities". TimesLIVE. Archived from the original on 13 September 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  10. ^ Kanjeni, Unathi (12 May 2023). "DA calls for Dr Nandipha Magudumana's licence to practise to be revoked". TimesLIVE. Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  11. ^ Clarke, Michele (11 May 2023). "DA calls for complete revocation of Dr Nandipha Magudumana's licence to practice". Democratic Alliance. Archived from the original on 13 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  12. ^ Damon's Marecia, and Daniel Steyn (29 March 2023). "Thabo Bester and Dr Nandipha made millions from construction company". GroundUp. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Nandipha Magudumana claims her deportation from Tanzania was an illegal extradition". News24. City Press. 1 June 2023. Archived from the original on 29 December 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  14. ^ Steyn, Daniel (11 September 2023). "Nandipha Magudumana denied bail". GroundUp. Archived from the original on 29 December 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  15. ^ Broughton, Tania (31 July 2024). "Date set for Thabo Bester trial". GroundUp. Archived from the original on 29 December 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  16. ^ "Another delay in Thabo Bester trial". eNCA. 10 February 2025. Archived from the original on 10 February 2025. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  17. ^ Francke, Robin-Lee (16 May 2025). "Supreme Court dismisses Dr Nandipha Magudumana's deportation appeal". Independent Online. Archived from the original on 9 July 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  18. ^ Zuma, Mbalenhle (16 May 2025). "Nandipha Magudumana's appeal dismissed by Supreme Court of Appeal". Sunday World. Archived from the original on 16 May 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  19. ^ Mbatha, Jabulile (18 June 2025). "Thabo Bester's pre-trial hearing hits another snag". Eyewitness News. Archived from the original on 9 July 2025. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
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