N3 hijackings: a warning to Newcastle motorists

The safety issue was again in the spotlight following the social media frenzy sparked by news of the kidnapping of a Johannesburg-based doctor who was travelling from Newcastle.

Dr Jameel Desai was driving on the N3 highway when was stopped by five men wearing police uniforms in a white double cab that was flashing blue lights on Saturday night (February 24). He was reportedly kept captive while thieves took money out of his bank account.

He was later found in a maize field but there has been no sign of his vehicle.

An increase in N3 hijackings has long been a source of concern. Colonel Phiwe Ndwandwe, the commander of Heidelberg SAPS station, confirmed that the N3 was becoming into a hub for criminal activity in 2022 by issuing a warning to the public.

Instead of stopping for any blue light car, he encouraged drivers to put on their hazards, which is a signal that they see the potential police vehicle, and head to the nearest police station.

Psychological injuries sustained by hijacking victims are often far more severe and long-lasting than physical ones. This rise in hijackings has not only made things harder for law enforcement, but it has also made people feel uneasy in general.

To ensure the safety of Newcastle motorists, the Newcastle Community Policing Forum (CPF) gives the following tips for when motorists are met with a similar incident.  

– Stay calm.

– Slow down and turn your hazard lights on.

– Extend your right arm out of the window, and with an outspread hand extended into the air, gesture for them to follow you (by moving your forearm forward and back). Repeat this action several times to ensure they get the message.

– Drive at no more than 40km/h and proceed directly to the closest police station or public place with CCTV (like a service station forecourt).

– Do not drive to your own or a friend’s home, as this could endanger a larger circle of people.

– Call 10111 and report being followed. Ask the operator where the nearest police station is if you are unsure

– If possible, provide the registration number of the vehicle that is following you to the 10111 operator, so it may be established if it is a legitimate police vehicle or not.

– Should you reach the police station and find no visible policing, hoot for as long as it takes someone to come out. Remain in your vehicle with the engine running, in gear and your windows wound up until officers from the police station come out to you.

– Co-operate fully with the police from that police station and the officers from the vehicle that followed you, and explain that you felt intimidated and therefore followed the step you did.

The CPF also advises motorists to apply common sense in any situation and act in a manner that places themselves and those around them in a position of safety.

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