Hijacking warning for motorists travelling through these areas in South Africa

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has published its latest crime statistics, revealing the most dangerous areas for vehicle hijackings in the country.

According to the new data, a total of 3,609 carjackings were reported between January and March 2026, equating to roughly 40 incidents per day in South Africa.

The silver lining is that this is a 20.4% reduction from the same period last year, when the SAPS received 4,533 hijacking reports, or approximately 50 cases per day.

However, while the country as a whole saw a drop in hijackings, certain areas are still badly affected by this type of crime.

Alexandra in Johannesburg ranks as the single most dangerous carjacking hotspot in South Africa, with 63 reported incidents, or roughly two incidents every three days.

The Alexandra Police Station covers the township, one of the most densely populated spaces in the country, as well as the surrounding industrial areas in Marlboro and Wynberg.

Certain areas also recorded a significant increase in carjackings.

Eldorado Park in Gauteng saw a 109.5% year-on-year increase, with cases jumping from 21 to 44.

Kempton Park recorded an 80.6% increase, while Reitgat and Protea experienced a 72% and 50% increase, respectively.

Kempton Park also ranks as the third most risky area nationally with 56 cases reported between January and March.

Second place, meanwhile, goes to Delft in Cape Town, which recorded 61 incidents.

A risky area for motorists

Alexandra is one of South Africa’s oldest townships, dating all the way back to 1912.

The area was originally founded by the wealthy farmer, H.B. Papenfus, who named the settlement after his wife.

During the 1930s, the township’s population ballooned from 5,000 residents to more than 50,000 in a few short years.

Today, the township occupies a space of around eight square kilometres and is home to over 400,000 residents.

It is often referred to as the “Dark City” because the area has suffered from municipal neglect for decades.

While the surrounding suburbs benefited from urban growth and infrastructure developments, Alexandra was denied many basic services, including street lights. The first homes were only connected to the electricity grid in the 1970s.

The township suffers from persistent challenges posed by violent crime, including hijackings.

According to the South African Human Rights Commission, Alexandra suffers from overcrowding and police constraints.

Despite its size, it is served by a single police station, and officers there have acknowledged that limited resources and staffing shortages have severely curtailed proactive policing efforts.

Public inquiries have also highlighted issues with organised crime operating in the area.

E-hailing drivers from apps like Bolt and Uber are one of the most targeted groups travelling through the area.

Criminals have been known to request rides on these apps to lure drivers into the area before carrying out robberies and hijackings.

These hijackings often involve illegal firearms, and the cars themselves are usually taken by unregistered mechanics and illicit scrapyards that dismantle the vehicle into parts that can easily be sold on the black market.