Cops ‘fail to cancel woman’s criminal case’

A Gauteng woman’s life is in limbo as the government database shows that she has a criminal record, while she “did not commit any crime”.

Nomthandazo Cele from Ivory Park in Tembisa says her life is on hold as she appeared on the database as a criminal who has a pending court case.

“I discovered this when I wanted to renew my driver’s licence PDP. They told me that they couldn’t assist me and advised me to go and inquire in court.

“At court, they wrote a note that I took to the traffic department, and that’s when they agreed to assist me.

‘Unable to do many things normal people do’

“I am unable to do many things that normal people do because of this problem,” said Cele.

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Cele said her troubles started in 2020, when she was “wrongfully arrested after the police raided her boyfriend’s rented room in Enkangala, near Bronkhorspruit, and found an unlicensed gun”.

She said the owner of the gun handed himself over to the police but the authorities continued to keep her in Kgosi Mampuru Prison. She was released after three months when the charges were withdrawn.

At the time of her arrest, she was the only breadwinner taking care of her siblings and her six-month-old son.

“I was not even inside the room when the raid was conducted. I was waiting for a taxi outside.

“I didn’t even know there was a gun in the room.”

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Case withdrawn without going to trial

“I was released after one of the detectives spoke to the magistrate and I was given R5 000 bail. “The case was withdrawn without me going to trial. I am currently seeking legal advice.”

The department of justice official, who cannot be named because she was not authorised to talk to the media, has confirmed the system recorded Cele as having a pending criminal case.

He said the cancellation of the case should have started at the police station level.

“The error was committed by the Saps who failed to submit documents to relevant offices so that the case could be cancelled. The victim should go to the station that effected the arrest to sort it out.”

Gauteng Saps spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili referred questions to her colleague, Colonel Noxolo Kweza, who failed to respond.

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