A motorist in South Africa narrowly avoided an apparent hijacking after being boxed in by suspected hijackers on a public road, according to dashcam footage of the incident.
The video shows the driver’s vehicle suddenly surrounded by the suspects’ vehicle. Without hesitation, the driver shifted into reverse and accelerated backwards at speed.
As the suspects attempted to close in, a passenger in the driver’s vehicle opened the door and jumped out, leaving the door open. The driver maintained full control of the vehicle, reversing in a straight line over a considerable distance without veering off the road.
A truck was observed passing on the left side as the driver continued the reverse escape. The suspects were unable to keep up with the manoeuvre.
The driver then identified a gap in the road layout, executed a turn, shifted into forward gear and accelerated away from the scene. By the time the vehicle pulled forward, the pursuing vehicle was no longer visible in the footage.
No injuries were reported in the available footage, and the driver successfully completed the getaway.
The exact date of the incident has not been confirmed in reports. The location is understood to be on or near Dutoitskloof Pass in the Western Cape, based on details circulating with the video. Vehicle makes and models, as well as the identities of the driver, passenger and suspects, remain unknown.
The dashcam recording has been shared widely on South African trucking and motoring platforms.
Authorities have not issued any official statement on the incident at the time of reporting.
Three Farmers Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Premeditated Murder of Farm Dweller
Pretoria – The High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, has sentenced three farmers to life imprisonment each after convicting them of the premeditated murder of Dumisani Phakathi, a farm dweller.
Jaco Wessels Kemp, 36, Louise Coetzee, 29, and Gert Frederik van der Westhuizen, 38, received the maximum sentence. The court also declared all three unfit to possess firearms and ordered them to surrender every firearm, all ammunition, licences, authorisations and permits to the investigating officer.
The murder took place on 16 September 2023 at a chicken farm in Mamokgalieskraal. At about 16:00 that afternoon the three were holding a braai when they noticed Phakathi walking past the farm gate. He was on his way to collect water from a nearby furrow that community members regularly used as a water source.
The three approached Phakathi and assaulted him. They then dragged him into a storage facility on the farm, where the assault continued until he died from his injuries.
In the early hours of 17 September 2023, at approximately 02:00, police stopped Kemp and Coetzee during a routine stop-and-search operation on the R511 towards Brits. The pair were driving a bakkie loaded with black refuse bags. Officers noticed human legs protruding from under the bags. A search revealed the bloodied body of Phakathi, his head covered in plastic. Kemp and Coetzee were arrested at the scene.
Van der Westhuizen handed himself over to police on 19 September 2023 after investigators linked him to the offence.
All three accused pleaded not guilty and attempted to shift blame onto one another. State Prosecutor Advocate Lawrence More presented evidence from State witnesses that proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.
During mitigation of sentence, the accused asked the court to depart from the prescribed minimum sentence. They cited the time already spent in custody since their arrest and the fact that they have children to support. Advocate More argued against any leniency, stating that the three had killed Phakathi for no reason. He described the attack as inhumane and cruel, noting that the perpetrators placed the body in rubbish bags in an attempt to dump it.
Advocate More also read victim impact statements into the record. The sister of the deceased stated that she no longer trusts white people because of the incident.
In delivering sentence, the judge found that the accused showed no remorse. He noted there was no apparent reason for the killing and concluded that it was racially motivated.
The National Prosecuting Authority welcomed the life sentences and repeated its commitment to ensuring accountability for violent crimes, particularly those committed against vulnerable members of society.
Four Suspects Fatally Wounded, One Arrested in Early-Morning Shootout During Police Operation Against Airport Follow-Home Robbery Syndicate in Yeoville
Gauteng, South Africa – 25 March 2026
A coordinated, intelligence-driven police operation disrupted a suspected airport follow-home robbery syndicate in Gauteng on Wednesday, 25 March 2026, at approximately 05:30, resulting in a shootout in which four suspects were fatally wounded and one was injured and arrested.
Members from the South African Police Service (SAPS) Counter Intelligence Investigation Head Office, SAPS Gauteng Tactical Response Team (TRT), Gauteng Traffic Police Airwing, CAP Specialised Operations, and Tracker Connect took part in the multidisciplinary operation. Officers acted on analysed intelligence about a group of suspects linked to follow-home armed robberies targeting victims arriving at the airport.
The suspects were traced to the Bruma Lake area, where their vehicles were spotted travelling towards Yeoville while allegedly following a potential victim from the airport. Police attempted to intercept the group to prevent an imminent robbery. This led to a high-speed chase that escalated into an exchange of gunfire.
The suspects, travelling in a Suzuki Swift fitted with false registration plates and an additional vehicle, reportedly exited their vehicle and continued firing at the officers. The Suzuki Swift eventually came to a stop in Yeoville.
Three unlicensed firearms along with ammunition were recovered at the scene.
Preliminary investigations have linked the suspects and the vehicle to a previous armed robbery incident in Rosebank earlier this month, in which victims were also followed from the airport. The vehicles were allegedly used in the commission of these crimes.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the suspects’ involvement in other related incidents.
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Driver Busted After Offering R10,000 Bribe to National Traffic Police Officer Over Dagga Possession
A National Traffic Police officer has arrested a driver on the spot after the motorist allegedly offered a R10,000 bribe in an attempt to avoid charges for being caught in possession of dagga.
According to details of the incident, the driver was pulled over and found with dagga in his possession. Instead of cooperating with the officer, the suspect reportedly tried to pay his way out of trouble by offering the cash bribe directly to the law enforcement official.
The National Traffic Police officer immediately refused the bribe and placed the driver under arrest without hesitation. The suspect was taken into custody at the scene for both the dagga possession and the attempted bribery.
The government has strongly condemned the incident and used the arrest to send a clear message to the public. In an official warning, authorities stated that anyone who tries to bribe a police officer should expect jail time.
The case highlights the zero-tolerance approach being applied to corruption within traffic enforcement operations. Officials have reiterated that all law enforcement members are expected to uphold the law without exception, regardless of the amount offered or the circumstances involved.
Investigations into the full details of the arrest are continuing, with the driver now facing multiple charges related to the dagga find and the bribery attempt. No further information on the suspect’s identity has been released at this stage.
