Three Democratic Alliance (DA) Members of Parliament responsible for police oversight narrowly escaped a violent smash-and-grab attack in Philippi, Cape Town, on Tuesday afternoon.
Portfolio Committee on Police Chairperson Ian Cameron, alongside colleagues Lisa Schickerling and Nicholas Gotsell, was travelling near the intersection of New Eisleben and Govan Mbeki Roads when their vehicle was ambushed by unknown suspects. The attackers smashed windows and hurled bricks at the MPs’ car.
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Cameron, describing the ordeal as “horrific,” said he acted in self-defence.
“They threw bricks at the vehicle. I managed to hit one of them, but they kept coming back. I tried fighting back, and when I looked at Nicholas, his body was on his lap. I took out my gun and shot. I am not sure if I hit anyone. The incident left me with broken teeth, and I had so much blood on my clothes,” he recounted.
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Gotsell was hospitalised but is not in critical condition, while Cameron sustained minor injuries. Schickerling escaped unharmed.
DA Calls Out ‘Out-of-Control Crime’
The DA condemned the attack, saying it underscored the dire state of policing in crime-ridden areas.
DA Chief Whip George Michalakis said: “This incident is a portrayal of the out-of-control crime that South Africans face daily. No one is exempt from it. We again call on the Minister of Police to properly resource SAPS in crime-ridden areas such as Philippi.”
Michalakis also commended the swift response from the City of Cape Town Metro, the provincial government, police, and emergency medical services, noting that their intervention prevented further harm.
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Police, Community Leaders React
Western Cape provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile confirmed that police are investigating the attack.
“The ambulance was called at the scene. Our teams will get to the bottom of it. In most smash-and-grab incidents, the motive is robbery, hijacking, or theft out of a motor vehicle. At this stage, we do not know what was stolen,” he said.
Community leader Dumisani Qwebe condemned the violence, calling it a “wake-up call.”
“That intersection was not so bad, and we are surprised because there is always police visibility, and now we must make sure that it is always monitored. There is a CCTV camera, and hopefully we will find something from it,” he added.
The DA reiterated that policing remains a national responsibility and urged the government to properly resource SAPS to ensure the safety of citizens in high-crime communities.
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