Hijacking surge shakes Eastern and Western Cape

A chilling rise in hijackings is gripping the Eastern and Western Cape, far outpacing vehicle theft and putting business-owned vehicles at unprecedented risk.

According to Tracker’s latest vehicle crime statistics for the first half of 2024, hijackings now account for a staggering 54% of all vehicle crime incidents across South Africa, with theft making up the other 46%. Yet, the situation in the Eastern and Western Cape is far more alarming, with business vehicles bearing the brunt of the danger.

Tracker’s extensive database, comprising over 1.1 million subscriptions, reveals a grim reality: in the Eastern Cape, personal vehicles are four times more likely to be hijacked than stolen. But it gets worse; if you own a business vehicle in this region, your vehicle is a shocking nine times more likely to be hijacked than stolen. In fact, the Eastern Cape has emerged as the country’s hotspot for business vehicle crime, with a 43% higher risk compared to the rest of Tracker’s business-owned vehicle subscriber base. 

The Western Cape tells a similarly disturbing story: while personal vehicles are nearly twice as likely to be hijacked as stolen, business vehicles are four times more at risk of hijacking. Despite statistically lower overall vehicle crime for businesses in the Western Cape, the hijacking threat looms large.

This alarming surge in hijackings is not limited to these two provinces. Nationwide, 65% of business vehicle crime comes in the form of hijacking, as opposed to 52% of personal vehicle crime leaning towards theft. The numbers paint a stark picture: if you’re driving a business-owned vehicle, your chances of being hijacked are 34% higher than for a personal vehicle. In terms of overall vehicle crime, meanwhile, business vehicles are a staggering 45% more likely to fall victim to criminals than personal ones.

Why the sharp focus on business vehicles? From cargo trucks to courier vans, these vehicles are lucrative targets, often carrying valuable goods that hijackers aim to plunder for quick, untraceable cash. The Eastern Cape, in particular, has seen crime explode along the notorious N2 corridor, with hijackers seeking to loot the “bounty” on the backs of trucks.

Gauteng, as the province with the highest volume of vehicle crime – accounting for 58% of all incidents – presents a different challenge. Despite the province’s vehicle-heavy landscape, theft takes the lead at 53%, with hijackings slightly trailing at 47%. Even so, 51% of all hijackings in South Africa happen here, showing that no region is truly safe from the reach of vehicle crime syndicates.

The statistics reveal unsettling patterns across the country. Hijackings are most likely to occur on Fridays between 4pm and 8pm, while thefts spike on Saturdays between 11am and 3pm. These specific timeframes represent points of vulnerability for personal and business vehicle owners alike.

Despite the rise in crime, Tracker remains committed to fighting back. The company’s efforts have led to 127,884 vehicle recoveries, 20,958 arrests, and the recovery of 1,119 firearms.

“Crime tends to shift across provinces over time, driven by the sophistication of local syndicates,” explains Duma Ngcobo, chief operating officer at Tracker. “Right now, theft in Gauteng is greater than hijacking, likely due to syndicates using keyless entry relay attacks. But what’s more concerning is the escalating crime along the N2 towards Gqeberha. In the Eastern Cape, where unemployment is high, hijacking and looting of trucks are likely opportunistic – desperate criminals seizing goods to convert into quick, easy, untraceable cash.”

The picture is clear: business-owned vehicles, especially in the Eastern and Western Cape, are now prime targets in a rapidly growing epidemic of hijackings. And with criminals becoming bolder and more organised, the threat shows no signs of abating.