Western Cape MEC urges action after social service staff hijacked in Khayelitsha

Two social service professionals were hijacked at gunpoint at about 10:10 on October 19, 2026, as they left Khayelitsha for a court session in Parow. Western Cape Social Development Minister Wendy Kaizer-Philander urged SAPS and the public to protect staff, condemning repeated attacks on workers who serve vulnerable communities. The department has now recorded 28 hijackings of staff since the start of the year and 86 assaults over three years. Kaizer-Philander said those responsible must be held fully accountable and the attacks must not become normalised.