Residents from a quiet Penlyn Estate neighbourhood say they got a groot skrik when a man allegedly held his family hostage.
The drama unfolded in Eastview Street on Wednesday morning as a 51-year-old man held his wife and granddaughter hostage.
The incident took place around 8am following an alleged domestic dispute at the residence.
Neighbours heard “uncontrollable screaming” coming from the property before they alerted the police.
A source says police and a hostage negotiator attempted to defuse the situation while a special unit eventually breached the property to rescue the victims.
The source reports that the woman's face, arm, and neck were visibly injured when she left the house, while the suspect vloeked and skelled as cops nabbed him.
The insider says: “The wife walked into the street and you could physically see she was beaten. Him being arrested, he uttered slurs and showed physical violence.”
It is unclear whether the man was armed or not.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirms: “According to reports the husband held his family hostage during a domestic dispute.
“The 52-year-old wife and the granddaughter were rescued and the 51-year-old husband was arrested on a charge of attempted murder.”
The suspect is expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court once he has been charged.
Meanwhile, the woman and the minor child were taken to a medical facility for treatment.
Residents who spoke to the Daily Voice say the incident shocked them as it’s a quiet neighbourhood.
One man said: “When we woke up we saw the commotion around 8 o'clock. It is the first time that we have experienced something like this in this quiet area.”
The man said the couple was fairly new to the neighbourhood and were renting the property, addding: “I think they are here for just over a month.
“I only saw him three or four times, I have never spoken to him.”
When the Daily Voice arrived at the house yesterday, there was no sign of anyone at the property.
A female resident described the situation as a traumatic experience as they could just look on as things unfolded.
She said: “It was traumatic and scary. It makes one feel unsafe, like you don’t want to leave your home.
Lansdowne Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Rafique Foflonker says hostage situations are not common in the precinct.
He explains: “This is not a common thing. When you have a hostage situation it is truly shocking.
“We were called in to assist with trauma counselling and there will be ongoing support to the family once the victims come out of hospital.”