Keypoints:
- Hijackings now outpace thefts in SA
- Criminals bypass tracking systems
- Tech recovery sees 3,500 vehicles found
CRIME remains one of the major hurdles to development and stability across African nations. Widespread poverty, unemployment, and limited access to education create conditions in which criminal activity thrives. Fast urbanisation growth has further intensified inequality, with millions living in informal settlements that lack adequate housing, sanitation, and effective policing.
This absence of opportunity and weak state institutions fuels both property-related crimes and violent offences, creating a vicious cycle that erodes public trust and hampers investment and economic growth.
Across the continent, common trends point to the roots of high crime rates: institutional fragility caused by internal conflicts, deep socioeconomic divides leaving large portions of the population vulnerable, and insufficient infrastructure to ensure safety. While each country faces unique challenges — from political instability to armed insurgencies — the underlying factors often overlap.
South Africa tops Africa’s crime index
According to Numbeo’s 2025 Crime Index, South Africa ranks as the most crime-affected country on the continent, with a score of 74.7. It is followed by Nigeria (66.6) and Angola (66.3), with Cameroon in fourth due to its ongoing Anglophone conflict. Other nations such as Somalia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Côte d’Ivoire also appear in the top ten for crime severity.
In South Africa, one particular trend is commanding urgent attention: the rise in vehicle hijackings, now surpassing traditional car theft in several provinces.
Hijackings surge as syndicates evolve
Criminals are becoming more adept at bypassing satellite tracking systems, often seizing vehicles without setting off alarms. Tracker’s Vehicle Crime Index, covering incidents from July to December 2024, shows hijackings have overtaken vehicle thefts in many areas.
While both private and commercial vehicles are vulnerable, commercial fleets are nearly twice as likely to be hijacked than stolen. The issue is especially pronounced in Gauteng, South Africa’s most populous province, where there are nearly three hijackings per theft, accounting for more than half of the country’s vehicle crime during Q3 of 2023/24.
Other provinces show stark contrasts: KwaZulu-Natal has the lowest hijacking-to-theft ratio, while Western Cape records four-to-one, and Eastern Cape a staggering eight hijackings for every theft.
Patterns, timing, and tech-driven responses
Most hijackings take place on Fridays between 4:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., while thefts peak on Saturdays in the same time window. However, there is some progress: between July and December 2024, Tracker recovered nearly 3,500 vehicles, aided 127 arrests, and helped seize eight illegal firearms — highlighting the growing role of technology in combatting vehicle crime.
Fleets fight back with smarter systems
Transport and logistics firms are stepping up with advanced security technologies. These include AI-powered dashcams, facial recognition, 360-degree surveillance, geofencing, cargo-door sensors, panic buttons, and links to rapid armed response teams. These tools improve detection and speed up response times, while acting as deterrents to criminals.
Chinese brands enter crosshairs
As the market evolves, so do criminal preferences. While Toyota, Volkswagen, and Ford remain favourites, Chinese brands such as Haval and Chery are increasingly targeted. Models like the Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, Haval H6, and Chery Tiggo 7 Pro are particularly vulnerable, partly due to their soaring sales — up by 1,749 percent in the last decade — and the growing black-market demand for spare parts.
Festive season lull, but spikes expected
December 2024 saw a 27.3 percent decline in hijackings, attributed to a drop in criminal activity during the festive break. Yet analysts forecast a return to high levels by mid-2025, with August and November flagged as likely spike months.
Urban hotspots and escape routes
Cartrack, using SAPS data, highlights key danger zones such as Ivory Park and Tembisa in Gauteng, and Phillipi East, Harare, and Nyanga in the Western Cape. These areas, often near highway ramps with poor lighting and surveillance, are common sites for ambushes and quick getaways.
Criminals operate with ruthless efficiency. They can strip wheels in under five minutes, remove airbags and tailgates in two, and disconnect batteries instantly — feeding a brisk trade in stolen parts, especially for discontinued models.
Classic tactics still hold power
Despite advances in tech crime, traditional methods persist. These include:
- Hot-wiring older vehicles
- ‘Bump-and-rob’ accidents staged at intersections
- Driveway traps
- Fake good Samaritan scams
This combination of new and old criminal techniques calls for a holistic prevention strategy — one that balances community awareness with technology-driven protection to safeguard lives and livelihoods across South Africa.
