Her method reportedly involved scanning genuine banknotes, printing them with her home printer, and then enhancing them with nail polish and dyes. She was arrested alongside her 17-year-old son. During a search of her residence, authorities discovered a Canon Pixma color printer, a cellphone, counterfeit R100 and R200 notes, as well as various inks and dyes.
The woman had reportedly turned to counterfeiting after losing her job during the COVID-19 lockdown, and she was said to have sold stacks of fake notes at a discounted rate for essentials. The case was adjourned to November 13, 2023. Counterfeiting of currency notes undermines economic credibility and can potentially lead to high inflation. In response to this issue, South Africa introduced new banknotes with enhanced security features in May 2023.
