The City of Cape Town found itself under scrutiny following the recent arrest of a motorist who claimed she experienced mistreatment during a traffic stop.

A warrant for her arrest was executed on October 24, 2025, but details surrounding the incident have sparked allegations that the officer involved acted improperly.

In an interview with News24, Nonkosi Nogaga, 45, shared that what should have been her graduation day ended with her in a holding cell. She was stopped at a Wynberg roadblock while taking her six-year-old daughter to school before her ceremony.

Despite having paid all her speeding fines via an app, Nogaga claimed officers demanded R1,500 immediately. When she refused, believing they were soliciting a bribe, she was arrested.

Nogaga said a traffic officer drove her traumatised, crying daughter to school in her own car while she was forced to sit in the back. The officer allegedly repeatedly pressured her to pay R1,000 to be released.

At Wynberg police station, Nogaga was placed in an overcrowded, unsanitary holding cell. She said she was denied access to her bag and cellphone, and her car was seized.

When brought before a magistrate, Nogaga said her attempts to explain her payment of fines were ignored. She was granted bail, but without access to her bank card, she faced spending the weekend in Pollsmoor Prison.

She was bailed for R300 just before processing for Pollsmoor, thanks to a message she sent her elder daughter before her phone was confiscated.

Nogaga said that upon returning to court on November 25 with proof of payment, she found no case against her and no apology offered for the trauma. She was unable to recover her bail money as there was “nothing on their system”.

Nogaga said she was concerned that her arrest fingerprints would jeopardise future employment requiring police clearance, particularly for her field involving children. The ordeal caused her to miss her graduation, and now she suffers from nightmares and flashbacks.

However, according to City of Cape Town Traffic Services spokesperson, Kevin Jacobs, the city discovered that the motorist had a warrant served on her, and was released on a warning, but the warrant was not settled. 

“When she was stopped at the vehicle checkpoint on October 24, 2025, the officer discovered that a double warrant had been issued by the court,” Jacobs said. 

He stressed that the officer cannot issue a second warning in that situation.

“Ms Nogaga was advised that she could pay the outstanding amount at the dedicated cashier on site (no payments are taken directly by officers), and when she was unable to do so, the officer executed the warrant, and she was placed under arrest,” Jacobs said. 

“The officer who conducted the vehicle stop was joined by a female officer – they drove Ms Nogaga’s daughter to school, in her own vehicle as requested – and then dropped her at Wynberg SAPS for further processing.” 

Jacobs said the Traffic Services cannot comment on Nogaga’s experience once she was handed over to the SAPS, but Nogaga had all her belongings, including her cellphone, while in their presence. 

He also said the officer locked Nogaga’s vehicle and handed her the key when they reached Wynberg SAPS. 

“The city is concerned at the very serious allegations levelled against one of its staff members; yet no formal complaints or charges were laid,” Jacobs said.  

He said the city only learned of the allegations on December 11 after receiving a media query. 

“Our investigation has also since established that the outstanding warrant amount was settled on the same day. The bail amount mentioned is refundable to the person who paid it – it is our understanding that this was not Ms Nogaga,” Jacobs said. 

“We further note she alleges that the payment was made via an App. The city’s fine payment channels are web-based, at participating retailers, or in person at a cash office. We cannot discount the possibility that she might have made a payment to a 3rd party service provider who is not sanctioned/linked to the city.” 

When the incident came to light, the city’s Traffic Services viewed the allegations seriously and sought a formal investigation.

Nogaga was asked to submit a written statement with incident details, but failed to do so. Traffic Services again urged Nogaga to provide the required details for resolution.

thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za 

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