Hijackings and Kidnappings in South Africa: Documented Trends and Effects on Victims

South African Police Service crime statistics record thousands of hijackings and kidnappings annually. In the 2023/24 financial year, there were 22,735 carjackings, averaging about 62 per day, alongside 1,976 truck hijackings.

Quarterly figures show persistence. In the period January-March 2025, 4,546 vehicles were hijacked, approximately 50 per day or one every 32 minutes. Sedans, hatchbacks, and coupes accounted for 44.4% of incidents, bakkies and panel vans 33.1%, and SUVs/station wagons 7.5%. In October-December 2025, 4,420 hijackings were recorded, averaging 48 per day, with Gauteng reporting 2,544 cases.

Gauteng consistently accounts for the largest share, around 48-50% of national hijackings. Over six months in 2024, Gauteng recorded 5,163 hijackings. Other provinces with notable figures include Western Cape with 1,613 and KwaZulu-Natal with 1,512 in the same period. Some quarterly data show year-on-year increases in Eastern Cape by 30% and Western Cape by 17%.

Vehicle crime data for July-December 2024 indicates hijackings comprised 56% of vehicle-related crimes nationally, rising to higher proportions for business-owned vehicles, which were twice as likely to be hijacked as stolen. In Western Cape, business vehicles were four times more likely hijacked; in Eastern Cape, eight times.

Kidnappings Linked to Robberies and Hijackings

In 2023/24, 17,061 kidnappings were recorded, representing a 264% increase from 4,692 in 2014/15. Quarterly figures show around 50 kidnappings reported daily in some periods, with an 8% or higher year-on-year rise in certain quarters. In October-December 2025, nearly 4,800 cases were reported, with Gauteng accounting for over half.

Aggravated robberies, including hijackings, drive many kidnappings. In analyzed periods, 66% of kidnappings were linked to aggravated robberies: 44% during hijackings and 22% during other robberies. In Gauteng, nearly 80% of kidnappings were connected to hijacking at 60% or other robbery at 19%. Gauteng recorded 49.5-51% of national kidnappings, followed by KwaZulu-Natal at 20%.

Many incidents involve express kidnappings where victims are briefly held to withdraw cash at ATMs or access accounts before release. Ransom-driven cases and those tied to extortion or organized syndicates also occur, though shorter-term robbery-linked abductions predominate in police data.

Victimization Data from Surveys

Broader experience is reflected in household surveys. Approximately 287,000 to 340,000 individuals reported experiencing hijacking over five-year periods in recent surveys, with public experience showing a 25.9% rise between 2024 and 2025 in one dataset. Up to 23% of hijackings may go unreported.

Documented Impacts on Individuals and Families

Victims of hijackings and associated kidnappings face direct physical risks, including violence during confrontations. Incident reports document cases where resistance or crossfire led to deaths, including children. Examples include incidents in Durban in 2018, Malvern in 2024, and Soshanguve in 2024 where minors were killed during hijackings.

Psychological effects include post-traumatic stress disorder with nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, sleeplessness, and avoidance behaviors. Victims report feelings of vulnerability, helplessness, loss of control, depression, and heightened suspicion. These effects can persist, impacting daily functioning, work, and mobility.

Families of kidnapped victims face immediate distress, financial strain from potential ransom or lost earnings, and long-term emotional trauma. Women and children are noted as frequent victims in certain contexts, facing additional risks of sexual violence or trafficking in some cases. Communities experience pervasive fear affecting routines and quality of life.

Broader Economic and Social Effects

Crime, including hijackings and kidnappings, carries substantial documented costs. Analyses estimate the overall economic impact of crime in South Africa at least 10% of GDP annually, around R700 billion or 38 billion US dollars in 2023 terms. This encompasses transfer costs from stolen property, protection costs such as security spending, and opportunity costs from reduced investment and growth. Business security spending alone diverts resources equivalent to potential 1% GDP growth increase if redirected productively.

Vehicle crime disrupts transport, commerce, and logistics, particularly with truck hijackings affecting freight. Businesses report higher security measures for vehicles and personnel. Household surveys show crime reduces quality of life and contributes to misallocation of resources. Kidnappings linked to extortion further strain sectors.

Hotspots concentrate in urban areas like Johannesburg precincts including Ivory Park, Mamelodi East, Akasia, and Jabulani, where specific areas saw sharp increases, such as Mamelodi East rising 80% year-on-year in one quarter.

These figures derive from official police quarterly and annual releases and national household surveys. Trends show fluctuations by quarter and province but overall elevated levels compared to earlier decades, with strong links between hijackings, aggravated robberies, and kidnappings affecting thousands of recorded victims yearly.

---

OTHER NEWS

---

Two Walter Sisulu University students died in separate incidents over the weekend of 30-31 May 2026 in the Eastern Cape.

In the first incident, a 19-year-old male student was found dead at Chris Hani Park in Mthatha at approximately 2:00 AM on Saturday, 30 May 2026. The student had been walking home from a local tavern. He slipped on wet ground and fell onto a bottle he was carrying. The bottle broke, causing an open wound on his thigh that led to excessive bleeding.

In the second incident, a 22-year-old female student died on Sunday, 31 May 2026 in KuGompo City. She suffered fatal burns and smoke inhalation after a microwave exploded while she was cooking food wrapped in aluminum foil.

Both deaths occurred in separate locations near the Walter Sisulu University area in Mthatha. Police opened two inquest dockets for the incidents. Post-mortem examinations are scheduled to determine the exact causes of death in each case.

The deaths were reported as suspected freak accidents occurring hours apart in the Eastern Cape. Details confirmed include the microwave explosion incident and the fall involving the broken bottle.

No foul play has been reported in either case based on initial police statements. The incidents are under investigation as accidental. Walter Sisulu University has not issued additional public statements specific to these two deaths in the available reports.