Mbombela, South Africa – 8 June 2026 – Police in Mpumalanga province have arrested a man suspected of violently assaulting his grandmother in the Nkomazi municipality. The arrest took place on Sunday, 7 June 2026, after a video of the attack was widely shared on social media.
The incident occurred at a tavern in eMagogeni. The footage shows the suspect punching and kicking the victim repeatedly, and later hitting her with a beer crate. On the recording, a bystander can be heard laughing while the elderly woman lies on the ground, severely injured and unable to defend herself.
Pension money dispute sparked Mpumalanga assault
According to preliminary findings from the police investigation, the altercation stemmed from 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 — had gone missing. That was when the suspect attacked her.
The video’s rapid spread online, combined with efforts by local law enforcement, allowed authorities to quickly identify and locate the suspect. He is currently in police custody and will soon appear before a provincial court on charges of assault and aggravated battery.
