Female Limpopo traffic officer hijacked at gunpoint outside her home
The officer returned home from work and was closing her gate when two men, one of whom was armed, confronted her.
LIMPOPO – A female traffic officer from the Thulamela Municipality became the latest victim of violent crime after being hijacked at gunpoint outside her home in Ha-Budeli, in the Thohoyandou policing area, on Saturday night.
Police spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba reported that the officer had just returned from work and was closing her gate when two unknown men confronted her.
One of the suspects, armed with a pistol, ordered her to lie down and then kicked her.
The second suspect entered her vehicle, locked her in a room, and reversed the vehicle out of the driveway.
Before fleeing, the armed man fired two shots.
The hijackers escaped with her silver-grey Toyota Fortuner (registration HBV 607L), cash, a laptop, and traffic equipment.
Ledwaba highlighted an alarming trend in vehicle smuggling in the region, with multiple stolen vehicle reports filed at SAPS stations across Vhembe.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the authorities.
Adv Enos Muthobi, the chairperson of the Vhembe Community Policing Forum (CPF), shed light on the growing issue of cross-border vehicle smuggling.
He said that luxury vehicles, including hijacked or stolen cars, are often transported through Beitbridge, a major smuggling route.
“These syndicates operate across borders, sourcing stolen vehicles, facilitating illegal crossings, and selling them in other countries,” Muthobi stated.
Muthobi called on the government to implement stricter security measures to combat vehicle smuggling, emphasising the importance of prevention.
“We must equip our communities with the right knowledge to prevent hijackings before they happen,” he added.
The police continue their investigation and appeal to anyone with information to come forward.
