Car Hijacking Hotspot Emerges in South Africa

Prime Targets: Car Hijacking Hotspot Emerges in South Africa

According to the Tracker Vehicle Crime Index, which analyses trends across more than 1.1 million active subscriptions, business-owned vehicles were 48% more likely to be targeted between January and June 2025. This sharp increase is driven primarily by hijackings, underscoring how South Africa’s criminal networks continue adapting to delivery routes, fleet movement, and weekday patterns. 

Hijacking vs Theft: Dramatic Gaps Across Provinces 

Nationally, a business vehicle is almost twice as likely to be hijacked as stolen. In several provinces, this ratio becomes more extreme:

• Western Cape: Business vehicles are five times more likely to be hijacked than stolen.
• Eastern Cape: Hijackings occur at four times the rate of theft.
• Mpumalanga: Hijackings are three times more common than theft. 

For personally-owned vehicles, the national ratio between hijacking and theft is evenly split. However, certain provinces show skewed risks:

• Eastern Cape: Private vehicles are five times more likely to be hijacked.
• Mpumalanga and Limpopo: Hijackings occur at double the rate of theft. 

Mpumalanga Joins South Africa’s Hijacking Hotspots

While Gauteng still accounts for 57% of all reported vehicle crime in the country, an important shift has emerged. 

Mpumalanga has now been identified as a new hijacking hotspot, joining the Western Cape and Eastern Cape – the two provinces highlighted in 2024 for heightened hijacking activity. 

Tracker’s data shows that crime involving business-owned vehicles occurs 32% more often than their share of the subscriber base would suggest, confirming that criminals are actively targeting commercial assets. 

New Hijacking Times: Crime Shifts to Weekdays

One of the most notable behavioural changes is when hijackings now take place. 

Previously concentrated over weekends, hijackings are now most commonly reported on Thursdays between 4pm and 9pm, a shift likely linked to business operations, delivery schedules, and weekday traffic volumes. 

Theft patterns remain more traditional, peaking on Saturdays between 11am and 4pm. 

Region specific timing data further highlights how criminals tailor their activity:

• Gauteng: Tuesdays, 11am – 4pm
• KwaZulu-Natal: Wednesdays, 4pm – 9pm
• Western Cape: Wednesdays, 6am – 11am

These variations suggest that hijackers closely monitor regional traffic flow, logistics routes and business fleet behaviour. 

Tracker’s Response: Vehicles Recovered

In the first half of 2025 alone, Tracker assisted in 3,671 vehicle recoveries, 146 arrests, and recovered 10 firearms. 

The organisation continues to adapt its technology and response strategies as criminal behaviour evolves. 

Businesses & Car Anti-Hijacking Systems for Fleet Protection 

Duma Ngcobo, Tracker’s Chief Operating Officer, warns that hijackings can occur at any time and in any location, making constant situational awareness essential. 

He advises businesses to invest in advanced car anti-hijacking system solutions such as: 

1. AI-powered dashcams with facial recognition.
2. 360-degree fleet cameras.
3. Cargo door and tamper sensors.
4. Emergency drivers assist buttons.
5. Rapid armed-response services for drivers. 

These tech systems help fleet managers manage threats, improving both driver safety and asset recovery in the process. 

Most Hijacked Cars in South Africa

The Toyota Corolla Cross has quickly become a favourite – unfortunately not just for South African motorists, but for hijackers too. An incident in Gauteng showed just how much this car has climbed the “most wanted” list for criminals. 

On 23 September, security Blue Hawk Tactical revealed that a hijacking crew has been hunting Corolla Cross models across Gauteng for months. These opportunists have been spotted all over, from the West Rand to Johannesburg CBD, the East Rand and Johannesburg. 

Thankfully, one car hijack event was botched, allowing security teams to apprehend the suspects. However, this isn’t an isolated case.

The Corolla Cross has been steadily climbing South Africa’s most-targeted vehicles since 2024. According to a BusinessTech report, Wahl Bartmann, CEO of Fidelity Group, has previously warned the public about this growing trend.

Criminals typically go after vehicles that blend in easily into everyday traffic. These models don’t raise suspicion on the road, making them easy to transport after they’ve been hijacked. Once taken, the suspects either strip the car for parts or illegally re-register and resell them through criminal networks.

Even though some cars get hijacked more than others, the reality is clear: every car is a potential target. SAPS data shows a year-on-year drop in hijackings, but the numbers are still worrying. In the latest three-month window, 4,533 hijackings were recorded – about 50 cars stolen every day. 

Gauteng remains a hotspot, with over 2,000 hijackings in the first quarter of 2025 alone – that’s 55% of all cases in the country. KwaZulu-Natal recorded 583 and 536 in the Western Cape. 

Top 10 Most Hijacked Cars in SA

Based on Fidelity Security’s data, here are the most targeted vehicles in South Africa: 

1. Toyota Hilux
2. Toyota Fortuner 
3. Toyota Corolla Cross
4. Toyota RAV 4
5. Volkswagen Polo
6. Nissan NP200
7. Ford Ranger
8. Kia Picanto
9. Isuzu D-Max
10. Hyundai H100s (utility vehicles and cargo trucks)

Historically, some of these models have always been considered high risk. However, the RAV 4 and Toyota Corolla Cross have climbed the list. What’s incredible is that the Corolla Cross was only launched as recently as 2021, making Naama’s top 10 list of best-selling cars in 2024.

The Bottom Line 

South Africa’s hijacking landscape is shifting. With business vehicles increasingly targeted, Mpumalanga rising as a new hotspot, and weekday afternoon incidents surging, companies and private motorists should take the extra steps to update their security measures by learning more about high-tech car theft patterns. 

At the end of the day, the more popular your car is, the more attractive it becomes to thieves. And while comparing car sales to hijacking stats might help show which models are in most danger, one rule still stands: Stay alert, no matter where you drive.