Minki Ngxozela alleges a female security guard ordered her to remove clothing in a public area during a search at Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 17 August 2026, while she attended her nephew’s court appearance. The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has denied that court security personnel strip-search members of the public.
According to reporting by Vukani News on 26 August 2026 and Daily Voice on 31 August 2026, Ngxozela said she had already passed through an initial security check when she was called back and told to undress in a public section of the court. The court is located at the corner of Walter Sisulu and Steve Biko Roads in Khayelitsha.
“I have dignity, but it was dragged through the mud,”
Ngxozela told Vukani News.
“I objected to being undressed in a public area and believed I should have been taken to a private room or another secluded area if a more thorough search was necessary,”
she said.
Metro 1 Court Manager Clive J Fortuin, responding on behalf of the Department of Justice, said the court had noted the complaint.
“The court would like to clarify that security personnel do not strip and search members of the public,”
Fortuin said.
Fortuin said all court users in high-risk areas are subject to security searches designed to protect staff, witnesses, and other court users. He urged Ngxozela to lodge a formal complaint to enable a full investigation, including statements from security personnel and any witnesses.
“This will enable the court to investigate the complaint fully, including obtaining statements from the security personnel involved and any other persons who may have witnessed the incident,”
Fortuin said.
Section 10 of the South African Constitution guarantees the right to dignity, which Ngxozela says was violated during the search. Fortuin has not addressed the constitutional implications of the complaint in his response to Vukani News or Daily Voice.
The allegations have not been independently verified by Cape Flats News, and no SAPS Western Cape statement has been issued on the matter. The identity of the security guard has not been confirmed, and it remains unclear whether Ngxozela has formally lodged a complaint with the court manager.
Cape Flats News journalist Sipho Kalako will seek confirmation from the Department of Justice on whether a formal complaint has been received and whether any investigation has been opened. A follow-up is expected by Friday, 5 September 2026.