Hijackers in South Africa are targeting a new group of cars, and they aren’t from German or Japanese brands.
Chinese cars are the latest subset of vehicles to find themselves on the radar of the nation’s criminals, owing to the massive success that these models have experienced in recent years on the sales charts.
Success makes you a target
Chinese brands have exploded onto the scene in South Africa within the last five years, with manufacturers like Chery, GWM and Haval now making a consistent appearance in each month’s best-sellers list.
This success has led to the introduction of more and more models from the People’s Republic, as South Africa is now home to a multitude of brands including BAIC, BYD, Foton, JAC, Jaecoo, LDV, and Omoda, with at least two more on the way.
Unfortunately, the impressive sales managed by these automakers have come at a cost, as hijackers are starting to notice their popularity.
The South African Police Services (SAPS) and private security firms recorded a significant increase in hijackings in the first half of 2024 compared to the year prior, with as many as 65 cars now being stolen every day.
According to Wahl Bartmann, CEO of Fidelity Services Group, vehicle hijackings are a “business” that is primarily driven by supply and demand, which is why the most commonly hijacked vehicles tend to come from top-selling badges like Toyota, Ford, Nissan, VW, and BMW.
However, the demand for Chinese cars has skyrocketed in recent years owing to them usually being more affordable than equivalent models from legacy brands like Toyota or VW.
In 2020, only 7,611 Chinese vehicles were sold in South Africa, but this figure grew to 30,850 by the end of 2023 – a 305% increase.
Consequently, Fidelity noted that there has been an increase in the number of Chinese cars being hijacked.
The group did not mention any models by name, but given that the most stolen autos tend to correlate with the best-seller lists, it’s not a stretch to imagine that Chery and Haval are among the most targeted.
The Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and Haval Jolion were among the top 20 most popular cars in South Africa in June 2024, making them a prime candidate for hijackers.
Criminals are also after bakkies, SUVs, and 4x4s, which puts models from GWM, Foton, JAC, and LDV at risk, too.
While this is becoming a much bigger issue as Chinese nameplates continue to dominate the sales charts, it is not a new phenomenon, as the SAPS warned about the theft of these vehicles as far back as 2021, according to BusinessTech.
It was found that criminals were stealing cars, particularly Havals, for their engines, which would then be retrofitted to Toyota Hi-Ace and Quantum minibuses.
Chinese models often have powerful engines relative to their price competitors, making them a tempting target for South Africa’s criminal underworld.
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