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Car hijacking and kidnapping near Carletonville raises safety concerns

Car hijacking and kidnapping near Carletonville raises safety concerns

The Citizen27-05-2025
A disturbing incident involving car hijacking and kidnapping has raised alarms in the East Driefontein area, despite recent national crime statistics showing a significant drop in hijackings.
Hijacking on P111 Road near East Driefontein
On Tuesday, May 20 at approximately 09:40, a man driving an Isuzu KB bakkie was hijacked at gunpoint along the P111 road near 8 Shaft, Carletonville.
The victim was intercepted by suspects in a grey Mitsubishi and a blue Volvo. According to reports, the hijackers forced the driver to stop and ordered him at gunpoint to climb into the back of his own vehicle. The suspects then blindfolded the man and drove off.
Victim kidnapped and dumped near Lawley
After a period of driving, the suspects transferred the victim to another vehicle and eventually abandoned him between Lawley and Ennerdale. Fortunately, the victim survived the ordeal and managed to report the incident.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) is currently investigating both hijacking and kidnapping charges in connection with the incident. No arrests have been made yet.
Crime statistics show national decrease in hijackings
This incident comes shortly after Police Minister Senzo Mchunu released South Africa's first quarter 2025 crime statistics on May 23, which revealed a 15.1% decrease in car hijackings compared to the same period last year.
While the national trend is encouraging, the Carletonville hijacking highlights the continued threat of violent vehicle crimes in specific areas.
Community urged to remain vigilant
The SAPS urges anyone with information related to the East Driefontein hijacking to come forward. Residents are reminded to stay alert and report any suspicious activity, especially in remote or less-patrolled areas.
For updates on this story and other local crime news in Carletonville, stay connected with reliable news platforms.
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