The woman in the center of a ‘smear campaign’ says she wants the world to know that she has “no affiliation to gangs, period”.
Claudine Coleridge was recently elected to the new board of the Elsies River Policing Community Forum (CPF), but no sooner was she elected when rumours started doing the rounds that she hangs out with alleged gangsters. She was photographed in 2022 standing next to the son of Jerome “Donkie” Booysen, an alleged underworld figure.
Nicholas Gotsell, a member of parliament’s select committee for security and justice and a Democratic Alliance member, says in the statement the DA has written to Lt Genl Thembisile Patekile and Minister of Community Police and Oversight, Anroux Marais, calling for a complete review of CPF election processes, including pre-election vetting of candidates, so that ineligible individuals are never voted in, only to be disqualified months later — as has disgracefully happened in Elsies River.
“The DA is deeply alarmed by revelations that 50% of the current Elsies River Community Policing Forum (CPF) membership have been declared ineligible to serve by the provincial police.
“This comes in the wake of serious concerns surrounding Claudine Coleridge’s associations with known gang figures and her repeated appearance on photographs with alleged gang leaders, including the son of the infamous Booysen.
“CPF’s are meant to serve as a bridge between communities and the police — upholding accountability, fostering trust, and mobilising collective action against crime.
“These forums play a crucial role in combatting gangsterism, drugs, and violence by ensuring that the police remains responsive and community-focused.
“It is therefore non-negotiable that CPF members must be individuals of unquestionable integrity, impartiality, and independence — not aligned to political agendas, criminal networks, or gangs. The trust relationship between the police, CPF, and communities is sacred,” reads a statement sent out by Gotsell on Friday.
Smear campaign
Coleridge is adamant that she is just a community leader.
“I’ve been elected by the people of Elsies River to be part of the CPF Elsies River. They see the work I do on the ground and I am everywhere and I support the victims’ families as well. I go to the end of the earth for the vulnerable and I’m definitely a threat to the political leaders who’s behind the first picture of myself and the gang of Leonsdale in Elsies River,” says Coleridge.
She describes the incident where she was pictured with local gangsters as follows.
“I had a youth day on 16 June 2021 and I invited the entire Leonsdale and Avonwood to participate in a soccer play off. I went around and took pictures with everyone documenting the success of the day and the next day I was front page news in another newspaper.
“My then leader Fadiel Adams (leader of the National Coloured Congress of which Coleridge used to be a member) then replied saying I was forced to smile. I wasn’t forced to smile, I smiled because it’s who I am and those same people are part of the Leonsdale community.
They participated in the day’s events and it was a great day and there was peace in Leonsdale. The local councillor did everything in her power to stop that event because it was not her initiative.
“Moving on, in March of 2022, Joen Booysen (Jerome’s son) agreed to have a movie scene shot in his club and I was part of the crew and all of us took pictures with Joel.
“The movie clip was done and I’ve never laid eyes on Joel and neither has he on me. It’s definitely a smear campaign because his face is blurred out and mine is exposed, and it’s okay, but it also makes anyone realise how personal this issue is because of who I am in the community of Elsies River,” says Coleridge.
She says she was elected to the new CPF after the previous CPF was dissolved due to infighting and being unable to function as a team.
“In fact, the members laid charges against their own team members with the intention of having them kicked out and ensuring they have criminal records. It’s all a smear campaign and I am in talks with my personal advocate to deal with this matter.
“This story can endanger my life, as well as the life of the newly elected CPF as we have a group picture,” she says.
