Police Constable Holding 3 People Hostage in Mamelodi, Negotiators Trying To Free Granny, Youngsters

• A Gauteng police constable is refusing to let three people leave a home in Mamelodi East
• Hostage negotiators are attempting to reason with the constable to find a peaceful resolution
• The officers reportedly fired shots in the house after taking the three hostage at around 8 am

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

GAUTENG – A tense situation is unfolding in Mamelodi East, Pretoria, where police are dealing with a hostage situation.

According to Gauteng Police Spokesperson, Brigadier Brenda Muridili, a police constable has been holding his family hostage since 8 am on Tuesday, 9 September 2025.

The constable reportedly has his grandmother, nephew and another youngster in a house and is refusing to let them go.

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Hostage negotiators are on scene

Muridili also confirmed that the police’s hostage negotiators, as well as a Special Task Force and other units, were at the scene in Buffelpeer Street in Mamelodi East.

She explained that the officer allegedly fired gunshots before the police arrived. The circumstances leading up to the hostage situation are not yet known, but negotiators are working hard to ensure that there is a peaceful resolution.

“At this stage, we can only confirm the three people inside the house with the constable,” Muridili said.

Officer was considered to be aggressive

As the hours ticked by, Tshwane District Police Commissioner Major General Samuel Thinye addressed the media, providing updates about the situation.

He said that hostage negotiators were using all techniques they could to ensure they calmed the situation down. He explained that there were still in contact with the officer as they were trying to find a peaceful resolution.

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"The 32-year-old man was said to have been aggressive at first, but has now 'calmed down', according to new hostage negotiators," Thinye said.

Conflicting reports emerge from the scene

With various police units at the scene and residents trying to get information, conflicting reports surfaced about what was happening.

A local publication that visited the scene reported that the armed officer had barricaded himself inside the house along with a Grade 12 learner and the learner’s mother. At that stage, there were also unconfirmed reports that the learner was injured.

It was later confirmed that there were only two others in the house with the officer, and not three as the police initially believed.

Other hostage situations in South Africa

Briefly News reported that there have been other cases of hostage situations in the country.

• In February 2022, five suspects held a family hostage after they allegedly committed an armed robbery in Cato Ridge.
• In April 2024, the Emfuleni Mayor was held hostage by the community of Tshepong after residents demanded feedback on the infrastructural challenges facing the community.
• In August 2024, video footage captured a hostage situation that unfolded in a Shoprite in the Eastern Cape, as robbers had staff and customers fearing for their lives.

Source: Briefly News