New hijacking trend hitting South Africa’s wealthiest province

The National Community Police Board of South Africa (NCPS) has warned that hijackers are increasingly targeting victims on off- and on-ramps of South Africa’s busiest highways, especially Gauteng.

Gauteng is widely regarded as the wealthiest province in South Africa, a status driven by its role as the country’s economic powerhouse.

Home to Johannesburg and Pretoria, Gauteng accounts for over a third of South Africa’s GDP despite being the smallest province geographically.

The province hosts the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), the largest in Africa, and is a hub for major financial institutions, corporate headquarters, and industries such as mining, manufacturing, and retail.

However, wealth also brings challenges, particularly in the form of heightened crime rates.

This is because the concentration of wealth and economic opportunities in Gauteng attracts both legitimate job seekers and criminal elements.

According to the latest crime statistics, Gauteng consistently records the highest crime rates in South Africa, including violent crimes such as murder, armed robbery, and carjacking.

The latest statistics for the South African Police Service (SAPS) are evidence of this.

The data shows that approximately 66 cars are being stolen daily, a 6.5% rise from the same period in 2022.

According to the SAPS, three provinces experienced a notable year-on-year increase (>10%) in hijackings – these being the Gauteng (14.4%), the Western Cape (14%) and North West (11%).

Interestingly, Kwa-Zulu Natal saw a 17.6% decrease in carjackings, followed by the Eastern Cape (-5.2%).

Gauteng also recorded 3,010 hijackings in the last reported quarter, representing 50.4% of all carjackings in Q3 2023/24.

The Western Cape experienced 856 carjackings, and Kwa-Zulu Natal saw 834.

Looking at more granular station data, Gauteng has the most hijackings per region, with Ivory Park in Ekurhuleni having the most cases. Jabulani in Johannesburg had the highest increase in reported cases, rocketing by 300% compared to last year.

Speaking with Newzroon Afrika, NCPS spokesperson Thokozani Masilela highlighted that on- and off-ramps have been flagged as a major hotspot for hijackings, especially in Gauteng.

He also warned that the “tap tap” method is a popular tactic on the roads.

After deciding that you are their target, the criminals will drive behind you and intentionally bump into your vehicle.

Once you stop and get out to assess the damage and swap insurance info, the hijackers overpower you and steal your car, leaving you stranded next to the road.

Masilela added that these highway points are more attractive during the week and peak traffic hours.

Data from Naked Insurance provides further evidence of this, highlighting that hijackers are now operating earlier in the day compared to historical data.

According to their data, 54% of hijackings within their footprint happened between 05h00 in the morning and 12h00, lunchtime.

“There’s a common perception that crimes like hijacking mainly occur after dark, but these statistics remind us that drivers must remain vigilant at all times,” said Ernest North, the co-founder of Naked Insurance.

Several private security companies have also expressed concern over the increasing number of hijackings, and some are now offering anti-hijacking training courses for their officers.

According to these private security firms and insurers like Santam, there has been a noticeable shift in the carjacking market, with a shift away from older and low-value vehicles that require limited security to more expensive double cabs and SUVs.

This observation is consistent with the experiences of private security companies such as Fidelity ADT.

According to Fidelity, hijackers target specific vehicles for a specific purpose and market. The demand for Toyotas, VWs, Fords, and Nissans remains high on the black market.

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