Media statement
Ald Grandi Theunissen
MMC for Community Safety
On Wednesday afternoon, while commuting back to my office, one of my Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) VIP protectors and an employee from my office noticed an altercation near the corner of Johan Heyns Drive and Annie Botha Avenue.
The duo exited the vehicle to investigate the situation and established that it was a case of gender-based violence. A male suspect had assaulted a female victim, threatened her with a knife, and stolen her cell phone. At that point, the suspect was already fleeing the scene of the crime, and we pursued him.
The suspect disappeared into a nearby property. Local community members who spotted the suspect entering the building managed to track him and handed him and the stolen phone over to my team after a short search.
In the meantime, the female victim, unaware of what had transpired after the incident, had already continued with her journey on foot. My team drove after her and managed to locate her. Although visibly shaken and emotional, she could identify the phone that had been given to us and was also able to unlock it using her fingerprint. The phone was therefore returned to her. The victim was then taken a police station to complete a statement and do the necessary paperwork.
After requesting additional backup, a TMPD vehicle from Region 3 was quickly on the scene, and TMPD members arrested the suspect, who was taken to Moot Police Station for further processing.
I would like to thank my team, the TMPD officers and the locals who helped us to track and arrest the suspect. Additionally, I want to commend the residents who stopped in the middle of the road to attempt to help the victim. It was good to see that so many people still want to offer help, even when it might mean putting themselves in danger.
Residents are reminded to contact the TMPD on 012 358 7095/7096 or the South African Police Service on 10111 to report any crime.