London Road has emerged as one of Alexandra’s most dangerous corridors, repeatedly targeted by hijackers.

According to Alexandra Police Station commander Brigadier Vusimuzi Ngubane, motorists are vulnerable at robots and stop signs, both day and night.

He said even when they increase police visibility in the area, the criminals would pause for a time but not cease altogether. “When the police are there, they don’t do anything. But once they move, then they will go on and do their criminal activities.”

Read more: Greenville residents open to relocation amid the city’s plan to fix London Road

This was previously confirmed by some residents living in Greenville, an informal settlement built along London Road.

The residents said that when these crimes occur, those who have built houses on the side of the road become exposed to danger.

Resident, Lindiswa Ntamnani, said a speeding car once crashed into one of the houses and overturned in an attempt to flee from hijackers.

Ngubane admitted that despite ongoing crackdowns, the scale of the problem is greater than anticipated, not on London Road but in the community.

“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.”

They recently took three alleged motorbike thieves into custody after they were arrested and handed over by the Johannesburg Metro Police Department. He said even with the recent arrests, they continue to use the same modus operandi being used by others.

“They would request [e-hailing] 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.”

Also read: London Road&s dark nights to become a thing of the past

The commander stressed that the main challenge is the silence of witnesses.

In some instances, especially when there is a murder, Ngubane said eyewitnesses would be reluctant to share any information with the police.

“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.”

This reluctance has been evident before. When a motorist and passenger were ambushed and shot at the intersection of Vincent Tshabalala Road (formerly London Road) and Lenin Drive, informal traders nearby claimed they saw nothing.

Similarly, during a high-speed chase that ended in a multi-vehicle collision near the N3, traders who witnessed the incident refused to share information.

Ngubane said while some residents cite safety concerns, many do not even report anonymously.

“We are not asking them to come to us directly. They can send a message anonymously, and we will follow up. But we are not even getting that. We have unsolved cases of murder and hijackings, and without information, it is difficult.”

Ngubane has appealed to the community to share information anonymously on 082 447 3980.

Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates!