The Police at Mhluzi arrested a 39-year-old councillor, William Phetla and his accomplices, Kholofelo Manola (31), Lui Nkadimeng (48) and Thabo Ntuli (24) on allegations of assaulting and kidnapping a 29-year-old domestic worker, aged 29 on Saturday, 22 July 2023.
The victim, who is alleged to be pregnant, was allegedly accused of stealing a laptop belonging to the said councillor. She was allegedly kidnapped and severely assaulted with some objects, including a garden spade before they locked her in a room. Further allegations indicate that her assailants burnt chillies whilst she was inside the room.
The victim was later rescued by community members and in the early hours of Tuesday, 25 July 2023, she reported the matter at Mhluzi SAPS.
The suspects were traced, arrested and had appeared in the Middleburg Magistrate’s Court on 25 July 2023 facing the said charges. Phetla was granted R3000 bail meanwhile his accomplices were granted R500 bail each. The case was postponed until 25 August 2023.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has strongly condemned the alleged acts of Gender-Based-Violence and encouraged other victims to report any form of Gender-Based-Violence to authorities.