Police constable (32) kills nephew (18), takes own life after 16-hour hostage ordeal

Keely Goodall

Keely Goodall

10 September 2025 | 11:39

A hostage situation in Mamelodi has ended in tragedy.

Police constable (32) kills nephew (18), takes own life after 16-hour hostage ordeal

Constable Thapelo Mashego, 32, held his family members hostage for 16 hours in Mamelodi, east of Pretoria, on 9 September 2025. Picture: Kgomotso Modise/EWN

A police constable held his family hostage for 16 hours on Tuesday, before killing one of them and himself.

Thapelo Mashego (32) trapped his nephews, aged 14 and 18, and his mother, aged 69, from about 8.00 am.

Modise was at the scene for several hours while negotiators tried to convince Mashego to release his family.

Mashego’s younger nephew was able to escape, and the constable released his mother after hours of negotiations.

RELATED: Mamelodi hostage ordeal: Police constable and nephew dead after 16 hours

Unfortunately, when police eventually entered the house, they found he had shot his other nephew and himself.

“It is unfortunate that this ended in such a tragic way.”
- Kgomotso Modise, reporter - EWN

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