Johannesburg - A Soweto woman and a crime-prevention and traffic warden student has accused the Gauteng Department of Public Safety of infringing on her freedom of expression after she was placed on suspension for refusing to take off her dreadlocks.
Nonthuthuzelo Ndaba, 42, said she had pleaded with the department to allow her to keep her dreadlocks as they were part of her spiritual journey as a practising spiritual healer.
Speaking to The Star on Freedom Day, the Soweto-born trainee officer who was recently removed from the Castle Inn Bush Camp where she and other trainee officers were being trained said the no-dreadlocks policy was unconstitutional.
“I am a student at Castle Inn Bush Camp under the Department of Community Safety’s training as a traffic warden for Gauteng.
“I am also a gifted person who identifies as a healer. Due to the gift that I have, I have cultural, religious, spiritual and traditional beliefs. I cannot cut my hair and the code of conduct that we are given to sign here at the college does not recognise the Constitution of South Africa or the Labour Relations Act of South Africa.”
Ndaba said having dreadlocks did not take anything away from performing any of her duties, adding that when she applied for the training opportunity, she was not aware of the "no dreadlocks policy," which she said was unconstitutional.
“The advert I responded to never highlighted that my hair would be a problem, nor was it ever communicated before my employment in this programme that I would have to remove my hair completely,” she said.
A recent letter written by provincial chief inspector Elmari Klingbiel and addressed to Ndaba states that the MEC had warned Ndaba and other trainees about the “no dreadlocks” policy, which Ndaba had ignored.
“Upon your arrival during the first week of March 2023 at Castle Inn for the crime-prevention warden training for which you have been selected, all students have been instructed by MEC Mazibuko (Faith) that dreadlock hairstyles are not permitted. During the following days, a code of conduct has been presented where it is expressly stipulated that dreadlocks are not permitted,” the letter reads in part.
The letter further states that Ndaba was addressed as an individual on the matter on April 5.
Ndaba said the treatment by the department had left her depressed, hurt and frustrated, as there was nothing wrong with having dreadlocks.
“I have been further oppressed by the fact that there are no rights pertaining to this notice, which was spelled out to me, among others, to be duly presented. It is safe to mention that my constitutional right to be presented has been grossly violated.
“My humble plea is for my rights not to be infringed upon in any way, nor have I, in terms of the campus’s Training Disciplinary Procedures, failed on my side to carry out a lawful instruction on the basis of the fact that I did not refuse to do anything that I was or am capable of doing with the aim of undermining authority,” she said.
Ndaba, who has been sitting home idly since last week, said she had written to both the MEC and the Premier of the Province, Panyaza Lesufi, for them to directly intervene in the matter.
“I have been sitting at home since April 19. There has not been any communication at all. All I was told is that the legal team will look into the matter. I am now emotionally stressed as a result, as I have tried everything, including writing a letter to the premier. I even responded to the department after I received the letter, but I was still removed from the camp on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, and I have received no feedback to date on the matter. I am losing out on a life-changing opportunity to start over and provide for my family and kids, and this happens,” she said.
Attempts to get comment from the MEC’s office proved unsuccessful at the time of going to print, as the email, phone calls, WhatApp calls and messages were not returned by departmental spokesperson Pinkie Nkuna.
The Star