FILE: A police vehicle from the Mitchells Plain Police Station. Picture: Lizell Persens/Eyewitness News
Attacks on Western Cape Social Development staff are forcing the department to change how it operates in some communities
Since the start of the year, social services staff in the Western Cape have endured 27 hijackings while trying to do their work.
Last year, 17 cases were reported, while 86 social services employees have been hijacked over the past three years.
Two weeks ago, police recovered a stolen vehicle linked to the hijacking of Western Cape Department of Social Development staff, and two suspects were arrested.
Western Cape Social Development MEC Jaco Londt told CapeTalk’s Lester Kiewit that the escalation in attacks was deeply concerning.
“So many of these attacks are by armed criminals who have now targeted our staff while they are conducting home visits. It also happens at the office.”
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“This is the unfortunate situation unfolding at the moment, the trauma that our staff are experiencing because of this.”
The rise in attacks has prompted the department to only conduct scheduled home visits in Khayelitsha, with social workers accompanied by an escort.
Londt acknowledged that the decision could affect response times, but said staff safety had to come first.
“We are doing everything as a department to make sure that our staff are safe and also that residents do receive the service.”
He reminded listeners that, unlike uniformed services such as police and fire departments, social work is not classified as a 24-hour service.