Actress and TV producer Sonia Mbele has been named as one of the celebrities who visited Thabo Bester in prison. But she only visited him after he was recaptured in Tanzania in April together with his lover Dr Nandipha Magudumana. However, unlike other visitors whose intentions were questionable, her visit was solely for business purposes.

APPROACHED BY INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTIONS COMPANY 

ZiMoja has learnt that Mbele’s production company is also in talks with an international production that want her to be their South African counterpart to co-produce the Bester and Maguduman’s docu-series. ZiMoja has reported that the competition to create a documentary about the Bonnie and Clyde of our is intense with streaming service Netflix flooded with proposals to tell Bester’s daring escape from Mangaung Correctional facility. Amongst the reputable production companies that have put in the proposal is a former actress turned businesswoman Carol Bouwer’s production company.

THE MEETING WAS FACILITATED BY BESTER’S LAWYERS

According to sources, Mbele was spotted visiting the infamous inmate at the Kgosi Mampuru II Prison in Tshwane with the help of his lawyers. She is said to have managed to secure an appointment with Bester to seal the deal for the ‘rights’ to his story. Another source adds that she also has access to Magudumana, whom she met through her beauty clinic. "Nandipha is comfortable with Mbele telling their story because she is familiar with her," the source said.

GAME CHANGER

Mbele has been making strides in the TV industry. She is the first South African to bring the Housewives franchise to Africa. Speaking to ZiMoja, her Zimbabwean business partner Nick Bhero who has been working with Mbele since 2018 on book and movie deals, says when it comes to partnering with someone in terms of growing the Zimbabwean film industry, it was a no-brainer. "We suggested her based on her work ethic and guts when it comes to starting a production from scratch," he says. Speaking through her manager Thato Malindi, says a lot has been happening with the former Generations actress. "This week our CEO and founder had an opportunity to bid for bringing television content to Zimbabwe where she secured the rights to do the first Ndebele telenovela. As ZiMoja reported that Netflix wants a company that has access to the couple Zimoja has learned that Sonia Films has surpassed Carol Bouwer Production they are no longer on top of the list.