South Africa's Justice Minister Ronald Lamola told lawmakers on Thursday that he will not resign over the escape of rapist and murderer, Thabo Bester, from a privately-run prison.

Bester was flown to South Africa on Thursday in a specially chartered plane, following his arrest in Tanzania last week.

He is known as the "Facebook rapist" for using the social networking site to lure his victims.

His girlfriend, celebrity doctor Nandipha Magudumana, who was arrested with him, was also deported.

The minister apologised for the prison break and said he took full responsibility.

"I am not going to resign because I did what I was supposed to do," Ronald Lamola told a parliamentary committee on justice.

He said the department of correctional services has a duty of ensuring inmates were kept in custody until the end of their sentences.