DSD welcomes arrests amid ongoing hijackings

The Western Cape Minister of Social Development, Wendy Kaizer-Philander, has welcomed the arrests in one of the WCDSD hijacking cases. 

“I want to thank the police for their ongoing support, and commitment to assist with protecting our staff. However, we call on them to get to the root cause of these attacks so that DSD staff can operate safely in the communities they serve. We will continue working with SAPS and other relevant partners to ensure that staff are protected and that those responsible are held accountable,” said Minister Kaizer-Philander.

Two weeks ago, police recovered a stolen vehicle involved in the hijacking of WCDSD staff members, and two suspects were arrested. The matter is before court, and a watching brief has been requested monitor the progress of the case.

Since 2023 there have been 86 hijackings of our employees while driving government vehicles. This includes social work staff in local and regional offices, and staff at our child and youth care centres. The number of hijackings has escalated this year, with the total already at 27 incidents, compared to the 17 last year.  

While details of the security protocols cannot be made public without compromising safety, the Department is in discussions with various stakeholders to improve safety. Minister Kaizer-Philander met with SAPS leadership at the end of August to discuss staff safety and ways they could support DSD.   

The Department has also met with Government Motor Transport to discuss strategies to mitigate the risks to staff when driving their vehicles.

“We want to assure the DSD staff and residents who rely on our services that the Department is reviewing all additional options and strengthening existing safety measures. We remain committed to delivering services, and will continue to prioritise staff safety,” said Minister Kaizer-Philander.

Minister Kaizer-Philander appealed to residents to report any information they may have about these incidents to the police.