Full details of what happened inside the home of People’s Movement for Change (PMC) Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate Nhongo Solo when armed criminals attacked her have emerged.
Solo was allegedly assaulted, held at gunpoint and tied up during the house robbery at her home in Geluksdal, Tsakane, on Tuesday night.
According to a police incident report, which Africa Daily has seen, the attack happened at about 9pm on 29 September while Solo was in the kitchen with a friend.
The friend reportedly went outside to smoke and, when she returned, two armed men allegedly forced their way into the house.
The suspects were reportedly wearing dark clothing, balaclavas and gloves and were armed with 9mm pistols.
Solo allegedly attempted to scream, but one of the men moved towards her and ordered her to cooperate so they could “finish what they want to do fast”.
The second suspect allegedly instructed that the two women be tied up.
The suspects allegedly used a shoelace to tie Solo’s hands, while her friend was tied by her hands and legs.
The men then allegedly demanded access to two cellphones that were on a table and ordered the women to unlock them.
Solo reportedly told the suspects that one of the phones belonged to her partner and that she did not know its PIN.
The suspects allegedly forced her to unlock her own phone and access her banking applications.
She reportedly opened her Discovery application, but the suspects allegedly found that there was no money in the account.
They then allegedly demanded access to her Capitec banking application.
When Solo told them she did not know the PIN, one of the suspects allegedly hit her on the head with a firearm and slapped her.
Despite the assault, she allegedly told the suspect that she could not provide the PIN because she did not know it.
The police report states that the other suspect eventually told his accomplice to stop beating Solo before leaving the kitchen to search another room.
Solo then allegedly managed to free herself.
She reportedly approached the suspect who remained in the kitchen and attempted to grab his firearm.
The other suspect then allegedly returned from the room and pointed a firearm at the back of Solo’s head, demanding to know what she was trying to do.
Solo allegedly told him that she wanted to speak to the other man because she believed she recognised him.
When asked where she knew him from, she allegedly responded that he was a Bolt driver.
The suspect pointing the firearm at her allegedly swore at her and said in Tsotsi taal, “ngiyamcisha”, which means “shoot her”.
His accomplice allegedly intervened and told him to leave Solo and that they should leave.
The suspects then allegedly took an HP laptop valued at about R7,000, a Hisense cellphone worth approximately R1,200 and a Samsung cellphone valued at about R3,500.
They allegedly locked Solo and her friend inside the house before fleeing with the keys.
Solo opened a case of house robbery at Tsakane police station.
The incident comes as Solo campaigns as the PMC’s candidate for mayor of Ekurhuleni in the upcoming local government elections.
The PMC has described the attack as potentially politically motivated, although the police report details the incident as a house robbery and does not establish a political motive.
The party has called for political parties and their supporters to uphold the Electoral Code of Conduct and ensure that candidates can campaign without intimidation or violence.
Police comments will be added to the story once they have been received.
