Mbombela (South Africa), 8 June 2026 – Police in the Mpumalanga province have confirmed the arrest of a man suspected of violently attacking his grandmother in the Nkomazi municipality. The arrest, carried out on Sunday, 7 June 2026, came after a video of the assault was widely shared on social media.
The incident took place at a tavern in eMagogeni. The footage shows the suspect repeatedly punching and kicking the victim before striking her with a beer crate. In the video, a third person can be heard laughing while the elderly woman lies on the ground, severely injured and unable to defend herself.
Pension dispute sparked the attack in mpumalanga
According to preliminary findings from the investigation, the altercation began over a financial disagreement. The elderly woman had gone to the tavern to confront her grandson after discovering that her pension money — funds meant for food and electricity bills — had gone missing. It was then that the suspect turned violent.
The viral nature of the video, combined with swift action by local police, helped identify and track down the suspect. He has been taken into custody and will appear in a provincial court soon to face charges of assault and grievous bodily harm.
