The community of Wallacedene in Kraaifontein, outside Cape Town, says that Luvo Ngqaza, 19, who was arrested in connection with the alleged assault on his grandmother, is not welcome in the area.

Ngqaza appeared briefly in the Kuilsriver Magistrate’s Court on Friday. He faces charges of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm and contravention of the Older Person’s Act.

His arrest followed the wide circulation of a video on social media depicting the alleged assault on his 82-year-old grandmother, shocking local residents.

Community health care worker Nonkosi Maqungo commented, “We feel very bad, the moment we saw this trending on social networks we felt very bad, because as we are working door to door doing this community health care work, we’ve got secondary problems like this. But some of my colleagues say they were here but the old lady didn’t tell them what is happening inside the house; so when we found out it was a shock.”

Meanwhile, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says it will oppose Ngqaza’s bail application.

On Friday, the court heard that he is suicidal, and granted the request for his remand in the hospital section of Pollsmoor prison until his next appearance on the 12th of July.

NPA spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila says, “The state is going to oppose bail, it’s a schedule one matter but the state is going to oppose bail. One of the reasons is because of the injuries that the elderly woman has received. She is currently in hospital and she is fearing for her life and is opposing the release of the accused.”

Wallacedene grandmother assaulted by her grandson had said she lived in fear
-Additional reporting by Berenice Moss