12 November 2021 — Trans Woman Wins Case Against Police, Namibia

On Friday 12 November 2021, Mercedez von Cloete won her case in the Namibian High Court against the Minister of Safety and Security after being unlawfully arrested and assaulted by a police officer on 6 July 2017. She accused the plain-clothes officer, Constable Kavari, of throwing her into a police vehicle outside a fast-food restaurant in Windhoek. She further claimed that he punched and kicked her, and called her a ‘moffie’ (Afrikaans for homosexual). The incident was caught on CCTV cameras. According to a Mambaonline article about the case, Von Cloete further alleged that officers witnessing the assault did nothing to aid her.

Von Cloete was never charged with a crime. Von Cloete’s lawyer argued that she was the victim of a hate crime and that she was targeted because she is transgender.

In an interview after her victory, Von Cloete said:

“[The judgement] has made me a little more optimistic and hopeful that justice does, in fact, exist in Namibia. And whoever it is that has been subjected to cruel treatment or unfair treatment should not be afraid to also go and take the necessary steps possible to also get their day in court.”

In this video, Von Cloete speaks about her experiences and advocates for trans rights in Namibia.

In 2024, Von Cloete became the first trans woman to act as master of ceremonies at the annual Miss Namibia preliminary pageant: