The Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) has raised concerns over attacks on its staff members, after three incidents were reported in one week.

In the latest incident on Monday morning, a policy developer from the Child Protection programme fell victim to an attempted hijacking during a visit to a non-profit organisation in Khayelitsha.

According to the department, the staff member was shot at during the incident, but managed to escape and fled to a nearby petrol station for safety.

Last week, a Facilities Management staff member was hijacked at gunpoint in his driveway after completing a shift. In a different incident last week, a social worker was hijacked while conducting a home visit. All of these incidents are reported to have taken place in Khayelitsha.

Western Cape Minister of Social Development, Wendy Kaizer-Philander, strongly condemned the latest attempted hijacking and added that attacks on DSD staff should be viewed as an attack on the State as well as an attack on the vulnerable.

“The staff were engaged in duties to ensure that vulnerable clients are cared for and supported. While counselling has been offered, several of our staff and their families have been severely traumatised by these acts of violence. We call on anyone with information to report it to the police so that we can bring these criminals to book,” said Kaizer-Philander

According to the department, there were 17 hijacking and attempted hijacking incidents during the 2025/26 financial year. For this financial year, there have already been 22 incidents in total.

Kaizer-Philander says these figures exclude assaults and other attacks on staff. The Department has reportedly put measures in place to mitigate the risk and says it will continue to find ways to increase staff safety.

Some measures already in place include removing all identifying information from government vehicles, upgrading security at offices and facilities in certain high-risk areas to protect staff, and directing DSD social workers to travel in pairs and avoid entering certain high-risk areas without a police escort.

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