Police have recovered a vehicle belonging to Khayelitsha community radio station, Zibonele FM, after armed criminals hijacked the van on Govan Mbeki Road, in Town Two, on Sunday morning.

Zibonele FM content manager, Zweli Nokhatywa said the driver was on the way to fetch one of their broadcasters who was starting a shift at 3am, when he was hijacked by the group of men in Town Two.

“The driver remembers that four of them were armed. They did not harm him; they drove around with him because they were looking for the tracker in the car,” Nokhatywa said.

“When they could not find the tracker, they dumped the driver and stripped the car. The car was found by the tracking company, who then contacted the police. The inside of the van was however stripped.”

He said the incident negatively affected the station because the car is big and is used to do the station’s CSI projects. He said the station would welcome any company wishing to loan them a vehicle while they wait for insurance to fix the damaged van.

Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said Lingelethu police are investigating carjacking.

“Reports suggested that the complainant was driving a Ford minibus on Govan Mbeki Drive in Town Two, Lingelethu West, on Sunday at around 2:40am. Three unknown armed men stopped the vehicle and took control of the vehicle. The complainant was tied and dropped close to Quando Quando after which the suspects fled with the hijacked vehicle,” Swartbooi said.

The Radio station vehicle was recovered in Town Two, Khayelitsha. No shots were fired, and the driver was not injured.