Pienaar Councillor Arrested for Attempted Murder After Family Dispute Turns Violent
By: Vusi Ka Mtfombeni
Mbombela- A 34 -year-old Ward councillor from Pienaar has been arrested after a heated confrontation over the death of a teenage girl ended with gunfire and two people injured.The incident began on 20 November 2025 when a local father noticed his 16-year-old daughter was visibly distressed.
When questioned, she allegedly revealed that a boy from her school had been abusing her. The father drove with his daughter to the boy’s home to confirm the allegation, but the boy was not present. He later returned home and dropped off his daughter.Tragically, the teenager later took her own life. The father cut the rope she had used to hang herself and rushed her to a nearby clinic, where she was declared dead.Later that evening, at around 19:30, the grieving father heard noise inside his home.
When he went to investigate, he found relatives from his late wife’s family confronting him about not informing them of the girl’s death. They argued that they had a right to be notified, which led to a heated argument.During the altercation, a local councillor described as a family friend of the wife’s relatives allegedly intervened.
According to police, the councillor drew a firearm and fired a shot, grazing the father and injuring a neighbour who had stepped in to stop the fight. Both victims were taken to hospital for treatment.The following day, two cases of attempted murder were opened at Pienaar SAPS. Police investigations led to the arrest of the councillor, who now faces two counts of attempted murder.
