Man to appear in court for allegedly setting two women ablaze
A 35-year-old man IN Mpumalanga will face two charges of attempted murder when he appears at the Emalahleni Magistrate's Court on Tuesday following his arrest for allegedly setting two women on fire.
The suspect was arrested by police in connection with a brutal attack that took place on Wednesday, 23 July 2025, at approximately 6pm.
The incident has left two women fighting for their lives in the hospital with severe burn injuries.
Victims include mother of suspect's children
Police reports indicate the accused allegedly set fire to two women.
The first victim is a 21-year-old woman who is the mother of his children.
The second victim is a 23-year-old woman who is said to be related to the suspect, who reportedly became a casualty while attempting to intervene in the attack.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli confirmed the severity of the victims' conditions.
'After the incident, the two female victims sustained serious burn wounds and were taken to hospital by a community member,' Mdhluli said.
Both women remain in critical condition. 'The two women are currently fighting for their lives in hospital,' Mdhluli stated.
ALSO READ: Alleged mastermind pleads not guilty in Lusikisiki trial, says he's been in jail for 17 years
Swift police response leads to arrest
Following the attack, community members reported the matter to the Vosman Police Station. Investigators moved quickly to track down the perpetrator.
'The matter was then reported to the police in Vosman and after an investigation was done, the suspect was traced and apprehended on the same night around 9pm, hence his court appearance,' Mdhluli explained.
The suspect was arrested just three hours after the incident occurred, demonstrating rapid police response to the crime.
ALSO READ: 'Why were alarm bells not sounded sooner?' – Jayden-Lee Meek's mother denied bail
Provincial commissioner condemns attack
The South African Police Service's acting provincial commissioner in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, has strongly condemned the incident.
He emphasised the commitment of law enforcement to ensure justice for the victims.
Mkhwanazi vowed that police investigators will collaborate closely with prosecutors throughout the legal proceedings.
The swift arrest of the suspect reflects this commitment to pursuing justice.
We wish a speedy recovery to the two victims. We hereby make a clarion call to Faith-Based Organisations, Community leaders, and Civil Society Groups to continue to work with us as public servants, in fighting GBVF within the society,' the General said.
NOW READ: EC woman sentenced to life for murdering boyfriend in repeat GBV case
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
18 hours ago
- The Citizen
NPA warns activist who filmed ‘smoking toddler' court proceedings
The activist has been warned by the National Prosecuting Authority to remove the video as he is violating the child's rights. The community activist at the forefront of the alleged drug-smoking toddler saga has been warned about his conduct in court. The National Prosecuting Authority stated that the man is in violation of court ethics by filming while the court is in session. Media houses permitted to film during court proceedings follow strict rules on how they frame the suspects and the information they share. Prohibited live streaming The activist has documented every step of his pursuit of justice for a child whose mother is facing child abuse charges. The three-year-old was filmed on Tuesday night allegedly smoking what appeared to be narcotics from a makeshift pipe, encouraged by his mother and her friends. The video was widely distributed on social media, prompting the activist to begin a hunt for the adults in the video. Three people were arrested, and a fourth joined them in the dock on Thursday as they appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court. The activist was present, where he live-streamed court proceedings, inadvertently placing himself in the law's crosshairs. Violation of victims' rights By filming in court, he revealed the identities of the accused to the wider public, which is not permitted given the circumstances of the victim. 'It is important to note that the victim in this matter is a minor, whose identity and rights are protected under the Child Justice Act,' stated NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane. 'Sharing or distributing any content that could expose the child's identity not only violates the law but also endangers the child's safety and dignity,' she explained. Asked if the NPA would consider criminal charges against the activist, Mjonondwane told The Citizen they were 'currently looking into the matter'. The video of court proceedings was still available as of Friday morning, with the NPA requesting that he take the video down immediately. 'Members of the public are also urged to refrain from sharing or engaging with such content and to respect the authority of the court and the rights of the child involved,' Mjonondwane concluded. NOW READ: Mother in custody after video of 3-year-old boy allegedly smoking drugs [VIDEO]
The Citizen
19 hours ago
- The Citizen
Calls for justice after Mpumalanga man allegedly sets women alight
The case has reignited calls for a stronger government response to GBV in SA. Advocacy groups fighting against gender-based violence (GBV) are calling on the government to deal harshly with perpetrators. This is after a man from Emalahleni, Mpumalanga, was arrested and denied bail for allegedly causing burn injuries to Nompumelelo Gumede, 21, and Mbali Hill, 23. They were burnt when Gumede's boyfriend allegedly set alight a room with the two women locked inside last week. The 35-year-old man appeared in the Emalahleni Magistrate's Court on Tuesday on two charges of attempted murder. The case has been postponed for further investigations. He is expected to appear again in the same court next Thursday. Government urged to act decisively An activist fighting against GBV, Prince Ntsikelelo Soga, the executive director of the organisation I Am That Man, said: 'Our hearts are heavy with grief and outrage over incidents like this. 'The brutal violence against women and children is a wound that cuts deep into the fabric of our society and it's a crisis that demands our collective action. 'We are talking about real people, mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends who deserve to live without fear of violence. 'We need to come together to create a culture of respect, empathy and accountability, where men take responsibility for their actions and work towards creating a safe environment for everyone. ALSO READ: Man to appear in court for allegedly setting two women on fire 'We believe in the transformative power of mentorship, education and community support in addressing GBV, declared as a pandemic by President Cyril Ramaphosa. We call on everyone to join us in this fight.' Women in critical condition Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdluli said Gumede and Hill were in a critical condition in hospital. He said the suspect had a child with Gumede, while Hill is her relative. 'The women sustained serious burn wounds and were taken to hospital by a community member. The matter was reported to the police in Vosman and after an investigation he was apprehended on the same night.' A call to work together Mpumalanga acting provincial commissioner Major-General Zeph Mkhwanazi promised that investigators would work collaboratively with the prosecutors to ensure the man gets the punishment he deserves. 'We hereby make a clarion call to faith-based organisations, community leaders and civil society groups to continue to work collaboratively with us, as public servants, in fighting GBVF.' It is not the first time a man from Emalahleni has burnt a partner. In 2023 a woman was hospitalised after her husband allegedly poured boiling water over her. Zodwa Ngwenya sustained injuries on the face and body. NOW READ: Mistakes to avoid when applying for a protection order against alleged abusers
The Citizen
19 hours ago
- The Citizen
Join us in the fight against GBV
This newspaper breaks tradition to highlight the painful truths of GBV and call on every reader to reject the silence. For print journalists, there is nothing more sacred than our pages – as any advertising sales executive will tell you following a toe-to-toe standoff with an editor about whether ads will disrupt a layout. Today, we break a rule by allowing one of our 'holy spaces' – the tops of every news page in the front of this newspaper – to be 'taken over' by an advertiser. Why did we do this? We would be lying if we tried to deny there is revenue involved for us. But, sometimes, a campaign can have a social importance and impact which transcends the money question. This is one such campaign. We urge you to look at the tops of those pages. And to take in what those sparse sentences say. But, more than that, think about what those words mean. ALSO READ: Mistakes to avoid when applying for a protection order against alleged abusers They are excuses. The sort of excuses men often use to abuse women. (And, let's be frank, the overwhelming majority of gender abuse is by men on women.) Look at them and you realise: Those excuses are pathetic. They're made all the more so because there can be no reason for a man to raise his hand against a woman. Gender-based violence (GBV) is the scourge of South Africa and no matter how much we talk about it and how much government ministers and others promise to do something, it just seems to get worse. That is why we need campaigns such as this and from an advertiser – Carling Black Label – which seeks no kudos for its role but realises that, as a seller of alcohol, which is the spark of many incidents of domestic violence, it has a moral obligation to speak out and do what it can. It also acknowledges that GBV is not something for others to fix. We have to do it ourselves. NOW READ: How successful is Operation Shanela? Here's how many cases resulted in convictions
