Bityi police hunt suspect after viral video shows tied-up woman assaulted
The 35-year-old victim was kidnapped and assaulted in the Bityi policing precinct, and no arrest has been made.
Police in Bityi have opened a case of kidnapping and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after a 35-year-old woman from Mhaga Location in Sikhobeni was kidnapped and assaulted by a known suspect.
The case was opened on Monday, 21 September 2026, according to a South African Police Service media statement issued from the Office of the Provincial Commissioner in the Eastern Cape. The statement is a summary of the police’s account and not the full case record.
A video circulating on social media shows the suspect assaulting the tied-up woman. Police say they are aware of the footage and that it forms part of the investigation.
No arrest has been made. The suspect is known to the police and is on the run. Bityi SAPS members are actively tracing him.
Police have urged the public not to circulate the footage further, warning that doing so may subject the victim to secondary victimisation.
Gender-based violence and femicide remains a priority crime and is treated with the utmost seriousness, the statement said. Victims are urged to report abuse, and perpetrators will be held accountable through the criminal justice system.
Anyone with information on the suspect’s whereabouts is asked to contact Bityi SAPS, Crime Stop on 08600 10111, or use the MySAPS App. Information may be submitted anonymously.
Police discouraged any form of vigilantism and urged the community to allow the law to take its course. The investigation continues, and police said no further details can be shared at this stage in order to protect its integrity.
Source: South African Police Service (SAPS), Bityi SAPS launch manhunt for suspect in viral GBVF case involving kidnapping and assault GBH (https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=71410)
