A 44-year-old man was held at gunpoint and carjacked while driving a vehicle belonging to an anti-corruption organisation in Nomzamo on Thursday 9 July, reportedly in full view of his seven-year-old son.

The victim was driving a vehicle owned by Unashamedly Ethical, an organisation dedicated to combating corruption and promoting ethical standards.

Provincial police confirmed that Lwandle police registered a case of carjacking following the incident in Simon Street at 19:00.

According to police reports, three men held the victim at gunpoint, forcing him into the back of the vehicle.

They drove to an unknown destination, where they allegedly stripped the vehicle before the victim managed to escape and report the incident.

The vehicle was later found stripped in Gugulethu. No arrests have been made.

Gary Power, CEO of Unashamedly Ethical, says the victim’s seven-year-old son was with him in the vehicle, when he stopped the fleet vehicle to buy a loaf of bread at a shop in Simon Street.

The father-and-son were ambushed by three young men who pistol-whipped the man.

“The most concerning thing for us is not the vehicle, but that he was hit on the head and abducted,” Power says. “The fact that this was done by three young men is deeply troubling.”

Power also noted the irony of an organisation actively fighting corruption becoming a victim of crime, but he believes the two are directly linked. “Corruption leads to poverty; you can’t separate them,” he points out.

Despite the trauma, Power says the community’s response has been encouraging. He expresses gratitude to local security companies and City of Cape Town Subcouncil 5 chairperson Stuart Pringle for their support.

Power emphasises that incidents like these are avoidable if communities strengthen their ties, address the lack of respect for the police, and focus on long-term prevention of corruption.

The victim and his family remain shaken but are receiving counselling arranged by the organisation.