The Lions Rugby Union has maintained its silence following the shocking allegations against rising star Bronson Mills, who appeared in court on Wednesday after being accused of assaulting a Cape Town student during a late-night party last week.
According to News24, Mills handed himself in at the Hout Bay Police Station on the morning of Tuesday, 4 November 2025, alongside his lawyer, after police confirmed they were investigating a case of assault.
SAPS spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said arrangements had been made with Mills’s legal representative for him to report voluntarily, as he was in Gauteng when the alleged incident took place.
“The suspect reported to Hout Bay SAPS on Tuesday morning. The matter is being investigated as a case of assault,” Van Wyk said.
Mills was released on bail later that day and made his first appearance at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
The alleged victim, 21-year-old Marumo Selane, a student at Vega School in Cape Town, claims the incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, 27 October 2025, at a friend’s birthday party.
Selane told police that Mills accused him of stealing salmon from the fridge before violently attacking him.
“While there, I was accused by an individual named Bronson Mills of stealing salmon from the refrigerator. I did not plan on stealing the fish, and I told him that directly,” Selane said in his affidavit.
“However, Bronson became extremely aggressive. He dragged me out of the house, verbally abused me, and physically assaulted me. He punched me multiple times in the face, threw me to the ground, and kicked me while swearing and shouting.”
Selane said he fled the scene barefoot after losing his phone and shoes during the scuffle, running nearly two kilometres before finding help.
He later sought medical treatment for injuries that included a swollen lip, black eye, bruises, and multiple cuts.
Adding to the gravity of the case, Selane alleged that Mills was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine at the time of the attack.
“Bronson has a known history of violence and substance abuse, including cocaine use,” Selane claimed, accusing the rugby player of similar violent incidents in the past.
Selane’s father, Tamoledi, said the family was shocked by the brutality of the attack. “He [Mills] initially denied assaulting anyone to the police but later admitted to only ‘slapping’ my son to mutual friends,” he told News24.
“My son’s injuries are consistent with multiple blows, not a single slap.”
The Lions Rugby Union has so far declined to comment on the matter. Team spokesperson Nyaniso Sam told News24 that the franchise would only respond “once we’ve been brought up to speed by his legal representatives.”
The team, currently preparing for their United Rugby Championship (URC) derby against the Bulls on 29 November 2025 at Loftus Versfeld, has not indicated whether Mills will be suspended or included in the squad.
Mills, 22, made his URC debut for the Lions earlier this year and played in the side’s recent win over Ulster just days before the alleged assault.
Fans have expressed concern over whether the union will take disciplinary action before the upcoming Bulls vs Lions fixture scheduled for 14:00 SAST on 29 November.
As investigations continue, Mills faces mounting public scrutiny and pressure from gender-based violence advocates calling for sports institutions to act decisively in such cases.
