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Wrongly Branded a Killer: Man Wins R100K After Police’s Shameful Mistake
One Phone Call Changed His Life
Banoyolo Magxala was in Rustenburg when his life took a sharp and traumatic turn. A police officer called and told him to report to a station in Mthatha. What should have been a routine inquiry ended with him handcuffed, shamed in public, thrown into a filthy cell, and wrongly accused of murder.
He was 22 years old. A taxi driver. No criminal record. No history with the law. By the time the police admitted their mistake and let him go, the damage had already been done.
A Public Humiliation
When Magxala arrived at the Mthatha police station, he wasn’t alone. Four others had also been called in. It didn’t take long for things to spiral. A police officer reportedly identified them all loudly, claiming they were the ones behind the killings in a taxi-related feud in Ntlaza.
They were marched through the building, past police officers and members of a rival taxi association. According to Magxala, officers shouted publicly that “these are the killers.” In that moment, he wasn’t just a suspect. He was branded.
No evidence. No trial. No dignity.
A Night Behind Bars and a Chilling Threat
Magxala and the others were thrown into a single holding cell. It was filthy. The toilet didn’t flush. There was no privacy, just a cement floor and soiled blankets. He wrapped himself up and tried to sleep, though sleep hardly came.
Then came the early-morning wake-up call. Police pulled him from the cell and told him they were taking him to the Mthatha dam to beat the truth out of him. But somewhere along the way, that plan changed. They dropped him off in town. No apology. No explanation.
By then, it wasn’t just fear of the police. He was terrified the rival taxi association might recognise him and retaliate.
Fallout: A Job Lost, A Reputation Destroyed
The fallout was brutal. Magxala lost his job. The taxi he used to drive was taken back. His family, who depended on his income, was left without support. In his community, he was whispered about. A killer, they said.
Except he wasn’t. He had done nothing wrong.
A Judge’s Damning Words
The Eastern Cape High Court in Mthatha awarded Magxala R100,000 in damages for his wrongful arrest and detention. While he had asked for R500,000, the court acknowledged that no amount of money could fully repair the humiliation and trauma.
Judge Lindiwe Rusi pulled no punches in her judgment. She called the police conduct “reprehensible.” She said they were on a witch-hunt, had no reasonable grounds for the arrest, and humiliated him publicly without cause.
“The police dumped him on the streets like an object without value,” the judge said. That line has since struck a chord online, where many South Africans are expressing anger, sympathy, and frustration at a system that continues to fail the innocent.
What This Says About Policing in South Africa
This wasn’t just a mistake. It was a gross abuse of power. The case has reignited debate about police accountability, especially in provinces where taxi violence continues to haunt communities.
The SAPS did not defend their actions in court. That silence speaks volumes.
As the public watches stories like Magxala’s unfold, confidence in law enforcement continues to crack. For many, this is not just one man’s story. It’s a symptom of a broader, broken system.
Banoyolo Magxala survived a wrongful arrest. But the emotional scars will last far longer than the night he spent in that cell. He has a court order in his favour, but the justice he received is bittersweet.
It is a reminder of how fast a life can be derailed by assumptions, intimidation, and a complete lack of due process. And it raises a difficult question: how many more like him are still waiting to be seen, heard, and cleared?
Also read: From Floods to Forward Thinking: How India’s Smart Solutions Could Help Rebuild KZN
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: Jacaranda FM
