Hijackings are outpacing vehicle theft in South Africa – and tech is to blame

Vehicles on South Africa’s roads are more likely to get hijacked than be stolen, according to data from vehicle tracking specialist Tracker.

The rise in hijackings is attributed to criminals wanting to steal vehicles by avoiding the need to bypass satellite tracking technology that may be fitted.

These are the findings Tracker’s Vehicle Crime Index, which considered data between July and December 2024.

“Hijacking, while terrifying to the victim, can be a highly efficient crime for perpetrators, which has led to its rising occurrence. As vehicle owners become more aware of early-warning tools and free tracking apps, it is becoming increasingly difficult for criminals to steal a vehicle without detection,” said Tracker chief operating officer Duma Ngcobo in a statement on Monday. “A hijacking, however, allows criminals immediate access to the vehicle and its contents, without needing to override tracking technology.”

According to Tracker’s findings, a personal vehicle is just as likely to get stolen as it is to get highjacked. But when it comes to business vehicles, the chances of a hijacking are on average double that of theft.

The picture changes, however, when looked at provincially. KwaZulu-Natal had the lowest hijacking-to-theft ratio, with just over two vehicles hijacked for every one stolen. The ratio in Gauteng was slightly worse at just under three.

When it happens

In the Western Cape, four vehicles were hijacked for every one that was stolen, while the Eastern Cape had the highest ratio with eight hijackings per stolen vehicle.

Tracker said more hijackings are reported on Fridays between 4pm and 9pm, while more thefts are reported on Saturdays, also from 4pm to 9pm. Tracker said its devices led to around 3 500 vehicle recoveries, 127 arrests and eight recovered firearms in the second half of 2024.

Read: New technology is making cars easier to steal

“Businesses, in particular, can implement technologies to help mitigate this crime. AI-powered fleet dashcams with facial recognition, 360-degree cameras, safe zone management, cargo doors sensors and a driver-assist button for emergencies can alert fleet managers to take immediate action. Businesses can also subscribe their drivers to rapid emergency armed response services,” said Ngcobo.  – © 2025 NewsCentral Media

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