Cape Town – A 34-year-old ward councillor in Pienaar, Mpumalanga, was arrested following a shocking confrontation at a funeral.
The dispute erupted after a 16-year-old girl — who had allegedly been abused by a schoolboy — died by suicide earlier on the same day.
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane said the councillor intervened in an argument between the girl’s father and his late wife’s relatives.
Instead of calming things down, she said, “he allegedly drew a firearm and fired a shot, grazing both the father and a neighbour who tried to stop the fight.”
The father had confronted his daughter earlier that day after noticing she was very upset and tearful. She reportedly revealed that she was being abused by a boy from her school.
Later, the father discovered she had hanged herself, and despite rescuing her and rushing her to a clinic, she was declared dead.
#sapsMP A 34-year-old Ward 29 Councillor from Pienaar has been arrested on two counts of attempted murder after a violent altercation linked to the tragic death of a minor.
During a confrontation at the bereaved father’s home, the councillor allegedly fired a shot, injuring the… pic.twitter.com/EIcRWg7gJq
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) November 22, 2025
Police opened two counts of attempted murder at Pienaar SAPS, and arrested the councillor after a swift investigation. She is expected to appear in the Kanyamazane Periodical Court.
Acting provincial police commissioner Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi condemned the councillor’s actions, saying that “instead of assisting to resolve the dispute between the families, the councillor allegedly resorted to violence.”
The father, identified as Themba Gama, told the Sowetan that his daughter confided she had been sexually assaulted — “someone had touched her private parts by force,” he said — and that he has asked the police for a post-mortem to understand what really happened.
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
