News24 | SPCA forced to withdraw mobile clinic from Khayelitsha after staff hijacking attempt

The SPCA withdrew its mobile clinic from Khayelitsha after armed men tried to hijack a staff member transporting sterilised pets.

• The Cape of Good Hope SPCA’s mobile clinic services in Khayelitsha have been suspended due to an attempted hijacking on Thursday.
• During the incident, two armed men ambushed a staff member transporting sterilised animals, forcing him to flee for his safety and that of the animals.
• The SPCA expressed deep regret over the withdrawal.

The Cape of Good Hope Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has been forced to withdraw its mobile clinic services from Khayelitsha, Cape Town, following an attempted hijacking of one of its staff members on Thursday.

The staff member, who has chosen to remain anonymous, said he was driving sterilised animals back to their homes in the community when, in Section Site B, two armed men ambushed him.

He said one of the gunmen stood in front of the vehicle while the other was at his window.

“I’m the breadwinner at home. My immediate concern was what will happen to my family if I am not here anymore? And what will happen to the animals in my van?” he said.

“Then I drove for my life – and theirs. I am thankful to God that I was able to get away.”

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Inside the vehicle at the time were four cats and twelve dogs, all of which were being returned home following sterilisation at the SPCA’s animal hospital.

The organisation runs a community initiative for pets in Khayelitsha to receive vaccinations, sterilisation and parasite treatments.

According to the SPCA, this attack followed an earlier attempted hijacking of the same van in the same area just two days prior.

The organisation’s spokesperson, Belinda Abraham, said the withdrawal of the services was unfortunate for the animals but was necessitated by safety concerns.

She said:

“The SPCA mobile clinics are a lifeline for pets in this community, providing vaccinations, sterilisation and parasite treatments in an area where access to veterinary care is already so limited.

“We are incredibly saddened that it has come to this.”

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Abraham said while the staff member escaped physically unharmed, the trauma of such an attack had left the mobile clinic team visibly shaken.

“Counselling and psychological support are being provided through the SPCA’s staff wellness initiatives,” she said.

“Our priority remains the safety of our staff, who often work under extreme risk to provide services to animals in crime-ridden areas.”

She said while the SPCA continues to seek safer ways to proactively serve in Khayelitsha, the organisation’s commitment to animal welfare in the area will, for the immediate future, be limited to inspectorate services only.

Police comment will be added if received.