A 39-year-old councillor arrested in connection with a house burglary, assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm and attempted rape, made his first appearance in the Kriel Magistrate’s Court today.

His arrest in Ga-Nala outside Emalahleni on Friday caused outrage on several social media platforms.

According to information received from Mpumalanga police, the councillor reportedly visited his friend where they had a couple of drinks. It is further alleged that while still in the house, the councillor made some inappropriate sexual comments toward a 12-year-old girl.

“Thereafter the two friends went out for leisure at a certain tavern nearby,” says provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.

The girl’s mother reportedly went to work and the girl and her sister (26) are said to have been temporarily left to stay with their uncle who is the councillor’s friend.

According to police, the councillor then left the tavern without telling his friend.

“At about 23:30, the elder sister alleged that she heard somebody breaking into the house. She further alleges that the person tried to open her bedroom door which was fortunately locked. She then immediately called a friend and requested him to alert the police.”

Mohlala says the man allegedly assaulted the teenage girl and tried to rape her. While still in a state of shock, the elder sister reportedly heard her younger sister call for her uncle to rescue her.

The report states the intruder responded and said that the uncle was not in the house.

At that moment, the police fortunately arrived and the intruder reportedly escaped through the window, leaving behind his T-shirt as well as his cellphone.

Police went after the suspect and caught him and according to the report, the man was wearing a pair of blue jeans as well as brown shoes without a top when he was cornered.

It is also reported that the suspect further sustained some injuries on the head.

“As the police went through the scene during the probe, they came across some blood drops in the house as well as on the window. The suspect’s car was also found about 50m away from the house,” Mohlala says.

“The alleged attempted rape happens at a time when the organisation is fighting the demon of gender-based violence against women and children. As a public representative, a councillor should be an embodiment of the values that inspires hope among the people. We regret as an organisation the alleged unethical conduct by the councillor,” says Sello Matshoga, the regional secretary of the ANC.

Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela condemned the incident while applauding men and women in blue from Ga-Nala for their swift response in arresting the suspect.

The case has been postponed to Friday and the councillor remains in custody.