Police in Alexandra have raised concern over a surge in hijackings, with London Road identified as one of the township’s most dangerous corridors, and e–e-hailing vehicles increasingly targeted by criminals throughout the area.

According to Alexandra Police Station Commander Brigadier Vusimuzi Ngubane, motorists are vulnerable at robots and stop signs along London Road, both day and night. He said that even when police increase visibility, the impact is temporary. “When the police are there, they don’t do anything. But once they move, then they will go on and do their criminal activities,” Ngubane explained.

Read more: E-hailing driver falls victim to hijacking in Alexandra

Residents living in Greenville, an informal settlement built along London Road, confirmed the risks. They said those who have built houses close to the road are especially exposed when crimes occur. Resident Lindiswa Ntamnani recalled an incident in which a speeding car crashed into one of the houses and overturned while fleeing hijackers.

Ngubane admitted that despite ongoing crackdowns, the scale of the problem is larger than anticipated. “You will arrest a certain group, and while they are still in custody, you realise that they were not alone because there would be another group that is still stealing,” he said.
Recently, three alleged motorbike thieves were arrested and handed over to JMPD. Ngubane said that even with arrests, the same modus operandi continues to be used by other suspects.

At the same time, police have raised concerns about hijackings involving e–e-hailing drivers. Unlike the incidents on London Road, these attacks occur throughout Alexandra. Ngubane said they recorded at least three such cases just last week. “We arrested four suspects, three males and a female. But even when they were arrested, this thing continued,” he said.

Also read: Hijackers target e-hailing vehicles in Alexandra

He explained that suspects lure drivers by requesting rides through e–e-hailing applications. When the driver arrives, they ambush him, take his belongings, and hijack the vehicle. Ngubane warned that the suspects are armed, making the situation even more dangerous. “They would request and say come to this particular street, and when a driver arrives there and waits for their client, they would find that two or three males would come and rob the driver,” he said.

Ngubane urged motorists and e–e-hailing drivers to remain vigilant, especially during the festive season when criminal activity typically increases.

He stressed that one of the biggest challenges is the silence of witnesses. In some cases, including murders, eyewitnesses have been reluctant to come forward. “You would find that it happened in front of everyone, but no one is willing to come forth with information. They would only come if the victim is their relative,” he said. Ngubane appealed to the community to share information anonymously on 082 447 3980.

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