Hijack horror: Family told to 'come and collect car' after thugs strip it to the bone
The aftermath of the violent carjacking: The vehicle stripped bare, leaving the family without their means of livelihood.
Image: supplied
A Mitchells Plain family have been left traumatised after they were robbed of their bread and butter during a violent hijacking attack on Sunday night near Samora Machel.
A community leader from Freedom Park, who wants to protect her identity out of fear for her safety, said they were on their way to Goodwood to drop off her two elderly aunts when they were ambushed by four men around 8pm on the corner of Samora Machel and Jakes Gerwel Drive at the robots.
Her son, who is a moulana, was driving the blue Etios they were travelling in, with the two elderly aunts, a one-year-old baby, the baby’s mother, and the community leader in the car when they were forced out of the vehicle and told to lie flat on the ground.
The community leader explained: “We had a 21st birthday on Saturday evening, and on Sunday we took my two elderly aunts home to Goodwood.
“The traffic was hectic. These guys came out of the bushes and smashed the window by the driver's side and took the car keys out.
The blue Etios before the hijacking: A family's transport turned into a scene of trauma.
Image: supplied
“They pulled all of us out of the car and told us to lie on the ground. They pointed a gun at my son and slapped him twice in the face, they put their hands in his pocket and took all his belongings.
“They took all our bags, phones, and even the elderly women’s medication.
“My son has four toddlers and bought groceries for them, but these guys took everything, then they took off in the car, and they left with a great amount of valuables.
“Nobody bothered to stop and help us; the vehicles passed us. We were standing on the pavement until an elderly couple told us to jump in their car and dropped us at home, where we called the police because my phone was at home.
“The tracking device showed the vehicle was in Browns Farm, but police told us they can’t go into that area at night.
“On Monday, I decided to call the numbers of the stolen phones, and these guys picked up and swore at us. They said ‘come here, I am going to kill you guys’.”
She said that a poster of the missing vehicle was circulated with her number, adding: “On Monday, my son and some members of the Muslim Judicial Council went to Browns Farm to search for the vehicle for hours, but they found nothing.
“About an hour after they left, a picture of the stripped vehicle came onto my phone, saying, ‘you can come and collect your car now’.
“The car we drove was my son’s bread and butter to provide for his family because he is an e-hailing driver and breadwinner. We can’t sleep. My aunts were taken to hospital. We are going to go for victim support.”
Police spokesperson Captain FC Van Wyk confirmed that the matter is under investigation, saying: “Be advised that Samora Machel SAPS registered a carjacking case for investigation.
“The incident happened on Sunday, 2026-03-29 at about 8pm at Jakes Gerwel Road, Samora Machel. Investigations continue, no arrest [have been made].”