A 16 hours of hostage situation involving an off-duty South African Police Constable and his family ended in tragedy on Wednesday, September 10 2025, with the officer killing his teenage nephew before taking his own life. The incident began following a domestic dispute in Mamelodi East, Pretoria.
*32 year old Thapelo Mashego, who was attached to the regional essential infastructure task team.
- The hostages: Mashego’s 69 year old mother and his 18 year old nephew, a younger nephew, reportetly a 14 year old, managed to escape earlier.
- Reports indicate that Mashego fired two shots before Police arrived at the scene, he held his family captive at gun-point and was later seen pointing his firearm at his mother’s head.
- Throughout the day, police negotiators attempted to defuse the situation in BUFFER ZONE, in the aftermath, a case of MURDER, KIDNAPPING and inquest was registered at the Mamelodi East Police station. The independent police invistigative Directorate was informed of the incident.