Attempted murder at a funeral: Councillor behind bars, accused of shooting grieving dad
A 34-year-old councillor from Pienaar, Dumsane Christopher Gonrover Masilela, appeared on Monday, before the Kanyamazane Periodical Court on two counts of attempted murder. The matter was postponed to Tuesday for the continuation of his bail application.
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane said the chain of events began on Thursday, when a Pienaar father confronted his 16-year-old daughter after noticing she appeared distressed and frequently cried.
The girl reportedly told him that a boy from her school had been abusing her.
Ndubane said the father drove with his daughter to the boy’s residence to identify the alleged perpetrator, but the boy was not home. He later returned and dropped off his daughter.
Later that day, the father discovered that his daughter had died by suicide. He cut the rope she had used to hang herself and rushed her to a nearby clinic, where she was certified dead.
At about 7.30 pm, while the father was at home, he heard noises in the sitting room. When he went to investigate, he found relatives of his late wife inside the house. They confronted him about not informing them of the girl’s death.
Ndubane said an argument broke out, and the Ward 29 councillor – known to the family as a friend of the girl’s maternal relatives – allegedly intervened and drew a firearm.
“The councillor is said to have fired a shot, grazing the father as well as a neighbour who tried to stop the fight,” she said.
Both victims were taken to hospital.
Ndubane said: “Two cases of attempted murder were opened at Pienaar SAPS, and through swift investigation, members were able to arrest the councillor.”
Acting provincial police commissioner Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi welcomed the arrest and criticised the councillor’s actions, saying he should have helped calm the situation instead of escalating it.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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