Motorists have been warned about a new hijacking tactic in the Western Cape where criminals are using animals to get drivers to pull over on the side of the road.
The Animal Welfare Society of South Africa recently issued an urgent warning about this disturbing trend where hijackers are using dogs as part of their tactics on roads in the Cape Flats.
The society noted these cases primarily take place on the R300, which is a freeway linking the N1 through the northern suburbs with the N2 in the southern suburbs.
It serves as an important commuter route for individuals driving from areas like Bellville and Brackenfell towards Cape Town International Airport and the southern suburbs.
Along this road, criminals are reportedly hanging dogs from concrete palisade walls with wires around their neck.
This shocking display is meant to catch the attention of passing motorists, who may be prompted to pull over and held the distressed animals.
Once the vehicle comes to a stop, the occupants are hijacked by the waiting criminals.
The society’s warning follows an incident on Sunday 26 April when a motorist spotted a dog hanging from a wall near Samora Machel, and another trapped between concrete palisades.
Suspecting it was a trap, the motorist did not stop but instead alerted the organisation about the incident.
Senior Inspector Sivuyile Kilwa and Senior Nurse Michelle Henning responded to the scene, but both dogs had already died from injuries and suffocation.
The Animal Welfare Society stressed that this is not an isolated case and that criminals have shown extreme cruelty using animals as part of their tactics.
Motorists who encounter a similar scene are urged not to stop. Instead, they should report the case to the Animal Welfare Society emergency hotline on 082-601-1761.
Hijacking still a major problem in South Africa
All provinces in South Africa, including the Western Cape have incredibly high hijacking statistics.
While the number of cases has improved slightly in recent years, crime data from the South Africa Police Services (SAPS) shows that dozens of hijacking incidents still take place every day.
In the third quarter of 2025, SAPS reported that 4,778 carjackings took place across the country, equating to roughly 50 cases per day over a three-month period.
Gauteng, the Western Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal have the most recorded hijackings of all the provinces.
The SAPS report also shows that sedans and hatchbacks are the most commonly targeted vehicles, though bakkies, SUVs, and panels vans are not far behind.
Data from Tracker indicates that, while vehicles can be hijacked on any day of the week, criminals do have days where they tend to be more active.
Most hijackings from January to June 2025 were reported on Thursdays between 16h00 and 21h00.
However, this trend shifted in the second half of the year when most hijackings were reported on Tuesdays at similar times.
Theft of motor vehicle cases are most common on Saturdays between 11h00 and 16h00.
Fideltiy Services Group noted that some areas are well-known hijacking hotspots.
In the Western Cape, high-risk areas include Parow, Mitchell’s Plain, and Khayelitsha.
Motorists passing through these areas are warned to remain vigilant and avoid predictable routines. they should also keep valuables out of sight and comply with criminals if confronted to avoid a violent confrontation.
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