Radio astronomer Judy Faltskog kissed a woman 13 years ago. And now, because of that kiss, she has a criminal record - and only President Thabo Mbeki can pardon her.
Faltskog, 40, was arrested and charged with public indecency in 1993 when she kissed her girlfriend at a Randburg nightclub.
"This is unbelievable. I have never been arrested for drugs or anything like that. Now I have to ask the president for a pardon because I'm a lesbian," she said.
Because of her criminal record, Faltskog is not allowed to live or work anywhere else in the world. Her worries began one night in 1993 when she joined her partner, Ursula Verster, for a night out. They ended up at a nightclub in Randburg, where she kissed Verster. The couple were immediately arrested by four plainclothes policemen, who fined them R200 each.
Faltskog then put the matter behind her and didn't think about it again until 2002, when she applied for a police clearance certificate. Faltskog was planning to go and live and work in Germany and was applying for a European work visa.
"I was shocked when they came back to me with this," she said, referring to a document from the Criminal Record Centre stating that she had been convicted. The charge: "Entice or bother someone for indecent purposes."
"I understand that what I did was illegal back in those days, but not now," she said on Wednesday.