Tracking company Tracker advised drivers to remain vigilant, no matter what vehicle they drive.

Executive for operational services at Tracker, Ron Knott-Craig, said at the top of the list of the most recent crime index is Johannesburg which accounted for 7% of hijackings, Mitchells Plain 6%, Pretoria 5%, Durban 4%, and Soweto 4%.

Police Minister Bheki Cele said a number of police stations topped the list for carjacking and included Nyanga, Khayelitsha, Mamelodi East, Philippi East, and Harare as the fifth highest.

Nyanga Community Policing Forum chairperson, Martin Makasi, named a number of hijacking hotspots and said they have warned drivers.

“A month ago, we issued an alert to e-hailing services to inform them of the hijacking because they were being targeted. Some adhered to it while some ignored the call. We have asked them not to respond to these areas in the evenings and at night and we have asked clients to request,” said Makasi.

He added that this was a disadvantage to people who need the service. Especially during the festive season where there will be drinking. He said until the problem is solved this was the call for now.

Director at the National Hijacking Prevention Academy, Richard Brussow, said Nyanga had the most reported incidents, at 257, compared to other precincts. He said more incidents of hijackings took place in townships than the inner city, adding that hijackings mainly occurred in Khayelitsha, while theft was highest in Cape Town central.

Other hijacking hotspots in the province include Harare, Delft, Mfuleni, Milnerton and Kraaifontein.

Truck hijackings went up from 314 in July to September 2019, to 411 for the period of July to September in the second quarter of the crime stats.

Netstar’s operations executive, Charles Morgan, said the hotspots for them around the country included Soweto, Mamelodi, KwaMashu, Nyanga and Browns Farm. And in Johannesburg: Soweto, Tembisa, and the outer parts Johannesburg.

IOL/Weekend Argus