Police spokesperson, Josephine Rani, says the 31-year-old traffic official was carrying out speed operations on the R57 at 06:30 on Friday morning. 

According to Rani, the official attempted to stop a Ford Focus ST, which was travelling above the speed limit. After the driver did not stop, a chase ensued. The chase came to an end near Frankfort where the driver of the Ford Focus lost control and swerved off the road. 

The three armed suspects emerged from the damaged vehicle, as the traffic officer approached it.  They accosted him, then forced him into the state vehicle and drove off. The official jumped out of the moving vehicle as they were approaching Zamdela in Sasolburg. 

The suspects abandoned the state vehicle 30km from where the official jumped out of the car. 

Information police received is that the suspects were picked up by a white BMW. 

Rani explains the traffic officer sustained minor injuries in his escape and was taken to Mediclinic Vereeniging for further medical attention. 

She adds that details of the suspects' damaged Ford Focus was circulated by police and it was found to have been stolen in Sunnyside, Pretoria, in 2017. The registration matched that of another Ford Focus ST traced to a garage in Witbank, Mpumalanga.

OFM News