Residents warned over new hijacking hotspot in South Africa
There is a new hijacking hotspot in South Africa, and a new type of vehicle that criminals are increasingly targeting.
Hijackings have long been a problem staring South African residents in the face, but exactly how and where these incidents take place changes constantly.
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New trends in hijacking evolve daily as criminals develop new modus operandi.
New South African hijacking hotspot
According to BusinessTech, Gauteng remains the province with the highest recorded vehicle-crime incidents, making up about 57% of all vehicle crimes
However, Tracker reports that South Africa's latest vehicle-crime data shows another province is emerging as a new hotspot.
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The data indicates that Mpumalanga has seen a rise in hijacking incidents, placing it alongside provinces such as the Western Cape and Eastern Cape.
The new type of car at risk of hijackings
Tracker's vehicle crime data also shows that business-owned vehicles are becoming more at risk of being hijacked than privately owned vehicles.
Data from Tracker subscriptions between January and June 2025 shows that business-owned vehicles were 48% more likely to be targeted, driven mainly by hijackings.
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