By Buziwe Nocuze
Police arrested a 19-year-old from Wallacedene, Kraaifontein, in Cape Town, after he was seen pushing and beating his grandmother in a video that started trending on social media on Wednesday.
He was arrested the same day, although the assault took place last month.
Speaking anonymously, a political party member said: “We visited the family and were told that the incident happened last month, and the family handled it. But an extended family member recently decided to release the video.”
They were told the suspect was a good boy who had lost his father in April.
“His father was the last remaining child on the grandmother’s side,” said the member. “We think maybe he’s been under a lot of stress, but we are not justifying what he did. Assaulting his grandmother was wrong, and he shouldn’t have done that.”
The member suggested that the suspect shouldn’t be in the same house as the victim until they can make sure that she is recovering well, as she was admitted to hospital after suffering a stroke on Sunday.
Western Cape social development department spokesperson Monique Mortlock-Malgas said no official reports of the alleged abuse had been received.
“We were alerted to the incident via social media on Thursday and immediately assigned a social worker responsible for gender-based violence cases to visit the family and assess their needs,” she said.
Social development MEC Jaco Londt strongly condemned abuse against vulnerable people such as older people, women and children.
“I laud the SAPS for its actions in this matter and hope justice will prevail,” he said.
Western Cape SAPS spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut said Kraaifontein police had registered a docket for the incident.
“The victim, who is from Wallacedene, was traced to hospital where she is being treated for an ailment not related to the assault, but she declined to submit a statement,” said Traut.
“Further investigation revealed that the incident occurred in June at the victim’s house, and SAPS were summoned to the scene. But it is said the family took the matter into their own hands and refused police assistance.”
Pictured above: A screenshot from the video.
Source: X
