News24 reports that two Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) staff members were attacked a day apart in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, last week.

In the first incident, a community development worker was hijacked and shot and wounded while on duty on Wednesday. According to a police report, the 56-year-old male victim was driving when unknown gunmen forced him to stop his vehicle. The gunmen forcefully removed the victim from his vehicle, shot him and fled the scene, taking the light Toyota delivery vehicle. The staffer has since been discharged from hospital. In the second incident on Thursday morning, a social worker was hijacked on her way to the Khayelitsha office. MEC Sharna Fernandez said the department had arranged counselling for both affected staff members. She reported that since the start of this year, there have been five reported attacks on DSD staff in hotspot areas, including Khayelitsha, Gugulethu, and Nyanga. Fernandez added: "In order to protect our staff, they have been informed that they should avoid going into these areas at night in government vehicles, unless accompanied by a police escort. The department has taken several steps to protect its staff with vehicle types that are in demand by hijackers swapped out for other vehicle types deemed a lower risk." But Fernandez warned that even those cars were becoming a target.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mothushi Thoka at News24

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