14 August 2026
Cebisa Silwana’s sister (left) and daughter (right) at a picket outside the Muizenberg police station on Thursday. Photos: Brenton Geach
On the night of Saturday, 8 August, Cebisa Silwana, 46, died at Muizenberg police station. Less than an hour earlier, she was allegedly pinned against a wardrobe, handcuffed and taken to the police station, despite pleas from her family members not to arrest her, because she was recovering from an operation.
Cebisa had recently had a C-section (we use her first name because other family members with the same surname are named in this article). The child was stillborn.
On Thursday, the Vrygrond Community Development Trust picketed at the station, demanding an independent investigation. Their memorandum was received by station commander Lieutenant-Colonel Delmore Manuel.
Manuel is one of three officers currently facing criminal charges related to the assault and torture of a barber in Mowbray in 2023. It is unknown if he was present at the station on 8 August.
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk told News24 the matter and allegations against an officer are under investigation.
Phaladi Shuping, spokesperson for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), the police watchdog, said they are not investigating, as the matter does not fall within its legislative mandate. Cebisa was not officially arrested and did not die in police custody. She had been told she could leave.
Lieutenant-Colonel Delmore Manuel, station commander of Muizenberg SAPS, accepts a memorandum by the Vrygrond Community Development Trust demanding an independent investigation into the death of Cebisa Silwana.
It remains to be established if police action played a role in Cebisa’s death. If police are found to be liable, IPID may well have to investigate.
The Muizenberg Community Police Forum’s media liaison Wayne Turner said in a statement on Tuesday that police responded to an intimidation complaint that night in Capricorn. When they arrived, there was a family dispute, and the family members became verbally abusive and aggressive.
Three people were taken to the Muizenberg police station, where the situation was resolved, and they were allowed to return home, according to Cebisa’s sister, Neliseka. But while still at the station, Cebisa collapsed. Emergency services were called, but despite efforts to assist, she died at the station.
The cause of death has not been established.
Turner said an inquest docket had been opened and that the circumstances surrounding Cebisa’s death would be dealt with through the appropriate investigative processes.
Residents from Vrygrond, Capricorn and Overcome Heights picket outside the Muizenberg police station.
Neliseka told GroundUp there was a dispute between their brother’s wife and their other sister. Neither Cebisa nor Neliseka were involved in the original dispute. At some stage, the police were called.
Neliseka said that when the police arrived, they knocked aggressively. She confronted the police officer, and Cebisa intervened. At this point, the police officer decided to arrest Cebisa. Neliseka alleged the officer was drunk.
Neliseka said the officer followed Cebisa into a bedroom and pinned her against a wardrobe. She said the family repeatedly told the officer that Cebisa had recently undergone an operation and was still recovering.
The family pleaded with the police not to handcuff Cebisa because of her condition. A video circulating on social media shows Cebisa being handcuffed while family members and neighbours object.
The family accompanied Cebisa to the police station, where she became dizzy and later vomited.
“She was vomiting, and I had to call the ambulance myself after the police officer accused Cebisa of faking her illness,” said Neliseka.
Community leader Karen Mentoor said the community does not trust Muizenberg police to investigate the matter.
