Travel provinces provincial level 4

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Drivers are warned that hijackings are increasing

The 2019 figures show that one motorist is hijacked every 32 minutes.

Travel provinces provincial level 4

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Drivers are being warned to stay watchful on the roads as hijackings are steadily on the rise, especially gun-point hijackings.

Johannesburg is leading in statistics

In recent statistics, Johannesburg takes the lead as the most dangerous municipality for car hijackings. eThekwini’s came in second and Ekurhuleni is climbing in on third place.

In a recent report by South African Cities Network, they have acknowledged that the increase of hijackings could be casued by the difficulty of stealing a parked car than the one that is already running.

“It is unclear as to why there have been substantial increases in carjackings in most cities, but this may relate to the introduction of more sophisticated vehicle security measures. Which has made the theft of parked vehicles more difficult. Hence, the vehicle theft syndicates have increasingly resorted to carjacking.”

SACN report

In the past 13 years, the three cities; Cape Town, Nelson Mandela Bay and Tshwane showed a decline in carjackings rate compared to Johannesburg, Ekhuruleni and eThekwini.

Statistics by the South African Police Service revealed that more than 16 000 cars are hijacked from drivers despite increased technological reforms. Such as insurance and vehicle tracking companies that make it less easy for carjackers to get away with this crime.

The majority of cities that have vehicle theft rates that are above the national level, suggest that this particular crime is an urban problem and visible in larger cities.

23 car hijacking incidents are recorded per day

More than 67% of hijacked vehicles are less than 10 years old but older models are still hijacked and sold off in spare parts.

Recent statistics released by the SAPS prove that 16 325 vehicle hijackings are reported annually, with the bulk of these incidents occurring in Gauteng. More than 23 incidents per day were recorded as the highest number of reported hijackings compared to any other province in the country.

“The first and golden rule is to not antagonize”

In KwaZulu-Natal, more than seven incidents per day occurred, and in the Western Cape, there is six a day. The 2019 figures further reflect that at least one motorist is hijacked every 32 minutes in South Africa.

Charnel Hattingh, National Marketing & Communications Manager at Fidelity ADT issued a warning that hijackings remain a prevalent issue.

“The first and golden rule is to not antagonize the hijackers who are probably more scared than you are. You need to show them you are not a threat. Lift up your arms to show you have no weapon and will surrender. Use your left arm to undo your seatbelt and put your car in neutral.”

Charnel Hattingh, National Marketing & Communications Manager at Fidelity ADT