A Cape Times photographer was robbed of his camera after taking pictures of children going back to school in Khayelitsha, one of the more dangerous Cape Town townships, on Wednesday.
Phandulwazi Jikelo, a multiple-award-winning photographer, had just completed capturing moments of Chuma Primary School learners’ return when he sensed something was wrong.
Earlier that day there had been a protest at the school, so Jikelo couldn’t park inside the school premises.
“Since I am from the area and most people know me, it didn’t cross my mind that I might be a target, so I parked outside the school,” he told Scrolla.Africa.
After finishing the job, he went to the car with another journalist. As he closed the car door, he heard someone saying “give it to me”. He asked what, and the reply was “give me the camera”.
Jikelo attempted to play dumb and question which camera the attackers were referring to, until they loaded their gun.
“I knew they were not playing when they started cocking the gun. They took my cell phone and my equipment and ran away,” he said.
“I was not afraid of them because even when they started asking for my camera, I asked whose camera they were talking about – until they promised to shoot me. That is when I noticed that I was getting robbed.”
Zintle Mdaka, the journalist who was with Jikelo when the incident occurred, never thought she would experience such a crime one day.
“Seeing a gun and not knowing if they will shoot is the most traumatising part.
“In most cases, robberies don’t end well. We have been writing about such stories, and some people get killed for their stuff,” she said.
Pictured above: Phandulwazi Jikelo winning a Vodacom award
Image source: IOL
