{"id":593306,"date":"2022-06-03T09:23:58","date_gmt":"2022-06-03T07:23:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=593306"},"modified":"2022-06-03T09:23:58","modified_gmt":"2022-06-03T07:23:58","slug":"massive-jump-in-hijackings-in-south-africa-these-are-the-hotspot-areas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/motoring\/593306\/massive-jump-in-hijackings-in-south-africa-these-are-the-hotspot-areas\/","title":{"rendered":"Massive jump in hijackings in South Africa \u2013 these are the hotspot areas"},"content":{"rendered":"

South Africa\u2019s crime statistics for Q4 2021\/2022 show another steep increase in hijackings across the country.<\/p>\n

The data, presented by the South African Police Service (SAPS) to parliament on Friday (3 June), covers the period between January and March 2022.<\/p>\n

A total of 5,402 hijackings were reported across the country over the period \u2013 a 19.7% (889) increase from the 4,513 hijackings reported over the same period the previous year.<\/p>\n

A vehicle is hijacked every 30 minutes in the country, annual data showed.<\/p>\n

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As with the country\u2019s other major crime statistics, the majority of the cases were reported in the most populous areas. Most carjacking cases were reported in Gauteng (2,936), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (876) and the Western Cape (581).<\/p>\n

The table below highlights the areas that have had the most hijacking cases reported to their respective police stations in the fourth quarter of the 2021\/2022 financial year. This period covers crimes that happened from 1 January\u00a0to the end of\u00a0March 2022.<\/p>\n

Mamelodi East in Gauteng reported the most carjackings (98), followed by Harare in the Western Cape (87), and Phillipi East, also in the Western Cape (64).<\/p>\n

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The jump in hijackings was flagged by security company Fidelity SecureDrive at the end of May, with the group noting the specific vehicles that are targeted.<\/p>\n

Wahl Bartmann, chief executive of Fidelity Services group, said that between April 2021 to May 2022 the provinces of Gauteng and Kwazulu-Natal recorded the most incidents – in Durban, Pretoria, and Johannesburg.<\/p>\n

Incidents typically take place between 06h00-09h00 and 18h00-24h00 during peak traffic times and when there is reduced visibility at night, while most of the hijackings took place on Thursdays and Friday.<\/p>\n

Fidelity’s data shows hijackers most often targeted Toyota and Volkswagen vehicles, with targeted models including:<\/p>\n