In Mpumalanga, criminals simply drive stolen cars over the border, while in the Northern Cape, vehicles are moved through the Vioolsdrift crossing into Namibia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Criminal syndicates in Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and local chop shops are the big five consumers of stolen South African vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These organised groups feed off a high demand for affordable vehicles and parts, both locally and abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recent crime statistics highlight the severity of this issue, with an alarming 60 hijackings and 96 vehicle thefts occurring daily in South Africa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This rampant theft often sees stolen cars either dismantled for parts at local chop shops or smuggled across the border to neighbouring countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The growing rate of vehicle theft in South Africa is closely tied to economic pressures on vehicle owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Fidelity Services Group, many car owners in South Africa are unable to afford parts directly from the original equipment manufacturers (OEM), which have become increasingly expensive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a result, they turn to more affordable, often illegitimate sources for repairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although most people are not intentionally seeking stolen parts, the need for cheaper alternatives inadvertently supports criminal networks that supply parts through chop shops and stolen vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Certain vehicle models, such as the Toyota Fortuner and Hilux, are frequent targets due to the high demand for their reliable turbo-diesel engines and accompanying parts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fidelity also noted that about 30% of all hijacked and stolen vehicles in 2023 were smuggled across South Africa’s borders, with popular models like the Toyota Corolla Cross and RAV4 being in high demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These vehicles, equipped to handle rugged terrain, are often smuggled into poorer African nations, where new cars are prohibitively expensive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once across the border, these vehicles are sold at a much lower price, making them attractive to buyers in neighbouring countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vehicle tracking company Cartrack provides insight into the routes used by criminals to transport stolen cars out of the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Botswana-bound vehicles are typically trafficked through the Sikwane border post in the North West province, while those headed for Mozambique often pass through KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) or Mpumalanga.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an audacious example of how far syndicates will go, a failed smuggling attempt in northern KZN revealed that criminals had constructed makeshift steel bridges<\/a> to ferry vehicles over a concrete barrier separating Umkhayakude village from Mozambique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Mpumalanga, criminals simply drive stolen cars over the border, while in the Northern Cape, vehicles are moved through the Vioolsdrift crossing into Namibia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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