Members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Public Order Policing (POP) unit arrested a 29-year-old male suspect on Wednesday morning following an incident of attempted rape and attempted kidnapping in Phomolong, Hennenman.
The arrest occurred at approximately 09:30 on Wednesday, 3 June 2026, when POP Platoon 05, deployed in the Phomolong area for routine crime prevention duties, observed a crowd of community members running in a single direction. Responding to the unusual activity, the operational team proceeded to investigate.
Upon arrival near the local taxi rank, officers encountered an aggressive crowd surrounding an adult male armed with a garden spade who was forcefully dragging a 60-year-old woman. The POP team intervened immediately, defused the volatile situation, and rescued the victim. Both the victim and the suspect were transported to the Phomolong Police Station for safety, medical assessment, and further processing.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect was engaged in gardening at his residence in Phomolong when he observed the victim walking past. According to initial allegations, the suspect called out to the victim and made inappropriate sexual advances. When the victim attempted to flee, the suspect allegedly attacked her, caught up with her, and began dragging her back toward his premises.
Alert community members witnessed the assault and began mobilizing against the suspect. The swift intervention by POP operatives prevented the situation from escalating into community-led violence or vigilantism.
The 29-year-old suspect has been formally arrested and will face charges of attempted rape and attempted kidnapping. He is expected to appear in the Hennenman Magistrate’s Court in the near future.
SAPS commends the vigilance of the Phomolong community while reiterating that matters of this nature must be reported to police to allow for lawful investigation and prosecution. The safety and dignity of all residents remain a priority, and SAPS urges the public to continue partnering with law enforcement to combat gender-based violence and violent crime.