ActionSA has requested that Financial Sector Conduct Authority’s Commissioner, Unathi Kamlana, clarify how Bester had an operational bank account if he only received a valid ID on 17 May 2023. 

The announcement that Bester received his valid ID was made by the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi. 

The party’s Free State Provincial Leader, Patricia Kopane, said their request comes after the minister’s announcement and reports that Bester had his bank account frozen after investigations into his escape. “It is unclear whether this is the first issuance of Bester’s ID or whether he had one at some point in the past,” she added.

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She stated that the commissioner must provide clarity about the status of Thabo’s finances and whether or not there is a violation of lawful financial practices which would have allowed him to bankroll his original escape. 

“According to Section 29 of the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, 2001, which requires institutions to report all suspicious financial activities, the announcement made by the Minister of Home Affairs brought into question how his bank verified the client to open a bank account that reportedly had a balance of R872 million whilst the requisite FICA documents were not furnished,” said Kopane.

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On Monday 22 May 2023, the Sunday World reported a department official reportedly visited the Kgosi Mampuru II correctional centre last week to hand the ID to Bester. The publication's source confirmed the news: "Yes, they came here to end doubts about Bester's citizenship and real identity. We now know that he is 100% a South African." 

Earlier, Motsoaledi, told Parliament that the police had done a DNA test and it was 99% positive that Bester and the woman claiming to be his mother were related. The Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto also confirmed that Bester was born in the hospital on 13 June 1986.

Motsoaledi said Bester was registered through the "late registration of birth" process, indicating that he may have never had a birth certificate or ID card/green book. Bester used several aliases to lure and defraud young women while serving life in prison at the Mangaung Correctional Centre.

His aliases included Thomas Bester, Tom Bester, Tom Motsepe, Thabo Tom Bester, Tom Kelly, Thomas Kelly Bester, Thomas Berter, TK Nkwana, Robert, Thomas Kelly Young, Tommy William Kelly, Thomas Magagula, Thabo Magagula, and Rufus Mahopo.

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