A dramatic incident unfolded in Cape Town on Tuesday when South African Member of Parliament Ian Cameron fired shots to defend himself and two colleagues after their vehicle was ambushed by a gang in the township of Philippi.
Cameron, along with fellow MPs Lisa Schickerling and Nicholas Gotsell, all members of parliament’s police committee, were returning from an unannounced inspection of a police academy when their vehicle came under violent attack. The assailants hurled bricks at the car, smashing windows and injuring both Cameron and Gotsell.
Cameron, who sustained broken teeth from the assault, retaliated by discharging his firearm, injuring one of the attackers. Police later confirmed that two suspects, aged 16 and 18, had been arrested, with one apprehended while seeking medical treatment and another captured on a farm the following morning. A third suspect remains at large.
“I realised that if we don’t do something, this could end very badly. So I acted in self-defence with my firearm, and we managed to speed off to safety,” Cameron told Newzroom Afrika, appearing with a cut lip.
Gotsell, who was briefly hospitalised after being struck on the head, commended Cameron’s actions, describing them as “bravery” in the face of grave danger.
The Democratic Alliance (DA), the party to which all three MPs belong, strongly condemned the attack, warning that it highlighted South Africa’s deepening crime crisis. The country continues to grapple with one of the highest murder rates in the world, with violent attacks and hijackings remaining a constant threat.
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