CCTV footage of a harrowing hijacking attempt in Mayfair, Johannesburg, has surfaced online, showing a driver’s split-second decision to evade armed suspects.
Mayfair hijacking attempt caught on camera: Here’s what the footage reveals
The unsettling video, recorded at approximately 17:09 on Tuesday, 17 December 2024, begins with a seemingly ordinary day.
A van pulls into a driveway across the road, while the victim’s dark grey hatchback comes into frame and parks in front of the property.
Moments later, a woman wearing a hijab exits the rear right passenger door and approaches the gate to the property.
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Across the street, the neighbour, before closing his garage, briefly faces the street, unknowingly witnessing the prelude to the attempted carjacking.
A white sedan abruptly pulls up behind the hatchback, blocking any potential escape route. Three men exit the sedan, two of whom are visibly armed. They approach the hatchback with clear intent.
In a breathtaking display of quick thinking, the driver slams into reverse, manoeuvring the car out of the trap. One of the armed suspects momentarily raises his pistol, directly aiming at the driver, but seemingly decides against firing.
The driver accelerates and speeds away, leaving the suspects scrambling back into their getaway car.
The suspects fled the scene and remain at large. Unfortunately, the grainy quality of the CCTV footage has provided few leads for authorities investigating the case.
This incident adds to a growing list of hijackings plaguing Gauteng, a province that recorded 5,163 hijackings over the first half of 2024, accounting for 48% of all such crimes nationwide.
Comparatively, the Western Cape recorded 1,613 carjackings, while KwaZulu-Natal reported 1,512 during the same period.
Data from Stats SA reveals that over the past five years, 287,000 individuals have fallen victim to hijackings across South Africa, highlighting the magnitude of this violent crime.
