A humanitarian team from the Gift of the Givers organization was hijacked at gunpoint and held captive for nearly an hour in Khayelitsha on Friday night, an incident that underscores the suburb’s status as a hijacking hotspot and has sent shockwaves through the community.
The latest crime statistics confirm the severity of the crisis, with four Khayelitsha precincts—Harare, Macassar, Lingelethu West, and Khayelitsha—listed among the top 30 in the country for carjackings.
According to a team member who was present, the ambush unfolded when an armed group blocked their vehicle, a light blue Toyota Yaris.
“They just block us off, point the guns at us and all of that and then get us out of the vehicle, push us in this car and drove off with us,” the victim recounted. “They took us through the section, close our eyes and all of that.”
The assailants, who numbered around ten, held the aid workers at gunpoint, demanding their phones and other belongings. The victims were forced to watch as the hijackers began stripping their vehicle.
The situation escalated until a tracking device was activated on the stolen van. The team member credited the swift response of the “tracker guy” as being first on the scene, which likely prevented further harm.
Disturbingly, the perpetrators showed no remorse and explicitly stated that they target company vehicles, suggesting a calculated criminal strategy.
The attack has raised serious concerns about the safety of essential service providers in the area. A community spokesperson condemned the actions of the “individuals or a syndicate that operates in our communities,” stating they are “depriving our people of their basic rights to services.”
The spokesperson emphasized the critical role Gift of the Givers plays, especially with the approaching fire season in informal settlements. “We understand that Gift of the Givers is one of the very important stakeholders and organizations that do assist our communities… in most cases in fact the first people to respond and assist,” they said.
Despite the traumatic ordeal a spokesperson for Gift of the Givers, confirmed the organization will not be deterred from its humanitarian work.
Police have opened cases of hijacking, robbery, and kidnapping in connection with the incident. However, no arrests have been made as the investigation continues. The community now waits to see if authorities can dismantle the syndicate operating in the area to make it safe for all entities, including vital aid organizations, to operate freely.
