- A single father in KwaZulu-Natal opened fire on armed hijackers who ambushed his vehicle as he left his home with his young children
- Sidney Hill is now facing mounting legal costs and the ongoing expense of trauma counselling for his kids after the violent ordeal
- A BackaBuddy campaign for Sidney has drawn hundreds of donors, though public reaction to the fundraiser has been far from straightforward
Source: Getty Images
A KwaZulu-Natal father is receiving an outpouring of public support after a dramatic hijacking attempt left him facing legal proceedings and his children in need of long-term psychological care.
Sidney Hill, a single dad from Hillcrest, was leaving his driveway with his young children when armed suspects blocked his path and opened fire. Hill returned fire in self-defence, killing one of the attackers while the remaining suspects fled the scene.
Regional law enforcement subsequently opened investigations into the attempted vehicle theft and attempted murder charges, and a formal inquest into the death of the deceased suspect — a procedural requirement under South African law following any shooting incident.
With legal costs mounting and his children requiring ongoing professional trauma counselling to process what they witnessed, supporters launched a BackaBuddy campaign titled "Sidney Hijacking Survivor." Within days, the fundraiser had drawn 353 unique donors and raised R172,300 toward a R500,000 goal.
The campaign organisers explained that the full extent of legal fees and the duration of counselling are not yet known, but that every contribution would help ease the financial burden on Hill as he works to provide stability for his family.
Community members and security professionals were vocal in their praise, with many describing Hill as calm under pressure and commending him for acting lawfully to protect his children.
What SA has to say
Public reaction to the fundraiser itself, however, was mixed. While many were quick to celebrate Hill's actions, some questioned whether a legal defence fund was even necessary.
@Marcus Filer wrote:
"What legal costs? Was a clear case of self-defence."
@Frank Marriott added:
"This is an open-and-shut case. Self-defence. Armed and unlicensed thugs."
Others directed their comments at the broader system.
@Chris Smith remarked:
"What legal costs? He should be paid a bonus for doing the SAPS work."
@Shaam Dhoodhanath suggested:
"SAPS should consider giving this dad a hefty reward. He didn't save his family only but others who could be targeted by these demons, in the future."
Not everyone was enthusiastic about the campaign format itself.
@Helen Van Der Walt noted dryly:
"And every second headline starts a back-a-buddy…"
@Shashi Singh offered some clarity on the legal reality:
"It is procedural after a shooting. He will be charged. He is innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately, the process in SA is that way."
For Sidney Hill and his children, the road ahead involves navigating that process while also focusing on emotional recovery — a dual challenge the campaign hopes to make at least financially manageable.
Source: Getty Images
More on South Africa crime and safety
- Briefly News recently reported that SAPS launched an investigation after a foreign national was found wearing a police uniform without authorisation.
- A Western Cape man lost R19,800 after his phone was stolen in an Uber and the Ombud rejected his refund claim.
- Sol Phenduka called KZN father Sidney Hill a hero after watching dashcam footage of the hijacking attack.
Source: Briefly News
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