Gift Of The Givers Team Hijacked And Held At Gunpoint In Khayelitsha

A Gift of the Givers team was left deeply traumatised after being hijacked at gunpoint in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, and driven around for nearly an hour. The incident occurred in an area where the humanitarian organisation has long been involved in social upliftment and disaster relief efforts.

Gift Of The Givers Team Held Hostage

According to Gift of the Givers spokesperson Ali Sablay, the incident took place on Friday night in Lingelethu West when the team’s sponsored 4×4 vehicle was cut off at a stop street by a blue Toyota Yaris.

“Within seconds, five to seven armed men emerged from nearby structures and forcefully removed our team at gunpoint. The team was bundled into the Yaris, while two of the suspects sped off in the sponsored Gift of the Givers van,” said Sablay.

The hijackers reportedly drove to a secluded location and stripped the vehicle’s dashboard in an attempt to locate the tracking device, inadvertently triggering the panic alarm.

Swift Response and Community Support

“Johnny Jaftha from Tracker Connect, upon receiving the alert, immediately sprang into action. Despite the evident danger of the area and without backup, he selflessly put his own life at risk to locate and assist our team. His courageous efforts are deeply appreciated,” said Sablay.

He extended thanks to Western Cape Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Thembisile Patekile and SAPS members for their swift response, which ensured the safe recovery of both the team and the vehicle. The van remains in police custody for further investigation.

Sablay added that the team was “deeply traumatised,” having been driven around for about 40 minutes before being rescued.

He also expressed gratitude to Councillor Lomwabo Mqina and the Khayelitsha community, who mobilised immediately to search for the team. “Their visible anger and frustration at this criminal act speaks to their solidarity with our mission and the deep community ties we share,” he said.

“Gift of the Givers remains committed to serving all communities in need, despite the risks our teams sometimes face.”

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