The Thabo Bester prison escape trial will not begin this year in the Free State High Court due to delays caused by the switching of legal representatives and matters running concurrently in other courts.

Prosecutors told the Free State High Court on Friday they would inform the Constitutional Court about delays caused by Dr Nandipha Magudumana's pending appeal challenging her extradition from Tanzania.

Magudumana's bid to have her arrest in Tanzania declared unlawful failed on Friday when the appeals court delivered a majority judgment in the State's favour. She has now approached the Constitutional Court after the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed her challenge in May 2025.

The main trial involves nine accused charged with orchestrating Bester's escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022. Bester escaped from Mangaung Correctional Centre by faking his death in a cell fire with the help of celebrity doctor Nandipha Magudumana and several prison officials.

Magudumana's lawyers told the court they have not received a hearing date from the Constitutional Court despite filing papers months ago.

"It will have a bearing on the criminal case," Advocate Frans Dlamini told the court.

The delays push the trial into early 2025. All counsels have now agreed for the matter to kick off in February, meaning Magudumana and her co-accused will spend another six months behind bars awaiting trial.

Bester was serving a life sentence for rape and murder when he escaped. On 8 April 2023, Bester and Magudumana were arrested by Tanzanian authorities in Arusha, Tanzania.

The accused face over 30 counts including fraud, corruption, arson, violating a corpse and aiding a prisoner escape.

Judge President Cagney Musi scheduled a December hearing to assess trial readiness.

Seven co-accused include Magudumana's father Cornelius Sekeleni and former prison guards from G4S security company.

One of the reasons the Thabo Bester prison escape trial has not kicked off, two and a half years after his re-arrest, is because of his frequent change of legal representatives.

The case has attracted widespread public attention in South Africa. Bester had been sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for luring victims on Facebook and then raping and robbing them, killing at least one person.

Prosecutors must now balance Constitutional Court proceedings with preparing for the complex criminal trial involving multiple defendants and extensive evidence.

The matter returns to court December 13 for an update.