Lingelethu-West police are investigating a carjacking incident involving a Gift of the Givers vehicle in Khayelitsha on Friday, 3 October.
Provincial police spokesperson Capt. F.C. van Wyk confirmed that the incident occurred at around 20:00. The complainant was driving a white Isuzu LDV marked with the organisation’s logo and was dropping two colleagues at Diki Nyeka Square when a Toyota Yaris stopped in front of them. Five armed men exited the Yaris, threatened the occupants, and forced them out of the LDV.
The staff members were then made to enter the Toyota Yaris and were driven to an informal settlement with no electricity. The suspects attempted to remove the LDV’s tracker device and damaged the dashboard, which triggered the vehicle’s panic alarm and alerted the tracking company. Police recovered the staff and the vehicle, which is now in custody for further investigation. No arrests have been made.
Gift of the Givers spokesperson Ali Sably said the staff members were traumatised by the incident. He praised Johnny Jaftha from Tracker Connect for responding immediately to the panic alarm, risking his safety to assist the team.
Ward 99 councillor Lonwabo Mqina condemned the hijacking and urged police to thoroughly investigate. He highlighted the foundation’s critical role in supporting local communities during crises, such as floods and shack fires, providing food, clothes, and other essentials.
