Vrygrond residents and the Vrygrond Community Development Trust picketed outside the Muizenberg police station on Thursday, 13 August 2026, demanding an independent inquiry into the death of 46-year-old Cebisa Silwana. Silwana died on the night of Saturday, 8 August 2026, after being removed from her home and taken to the station following an intimidation complaint.
The family of the deceased claims that police officers failed to provide adequate assistance when Silwana fell ill while at the facility. Her sister, Neliseka Silwana, stated: “She was vomiting, and I had to call the ambulance myself after the police officer accused Cebisa of faking her illness.”
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has declined to initiate an investigation into the matter. The watchdog stated that the incident does not fall within its legislative mandate because Silwana was not formally under arrest at the time and did not die while in police custody.
Provincial police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed that an internal process is underway regarding the conduct of the officers present. “An investigation is currently ongoing and very sensitive. The District Commissioner of Wynberg Cluster appointed a team to investigate the allegations internally against the member involved,” said Van Wyk.
The Muizenberg Community Police Forum (CPF) previously confirmed that an inquest into the death has been opened. During the picket on Thursday, community members handed over a memorandum of demands to the station commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Delmore Manuel.
The incident has caused significant tension in Vrygrond, with residents expressing deep concern over how the police handled the domestic dispute. This case is complicated by existing reports surrounding the station’s leadership; Lieutenant-Colonel Manuel is currently facing separate, unrelated criminal charges stemming from an incident in 2023. It remains unconfirmed whether he was present at the station during the night of 8 August.
The specific medical cause of death remains a central point of the ongoing inquest. Our reporter will check with the Western Cape SAPS media office next week for any updates regarding the findings of the internal investigation.