Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo

22 October 2025

A motorist was robbed and hijacked on Saturday, 18 October 2025, by three male persons disguised in traffic law enforcement uniforms. 

According to information at the police’s disposal, the complainant was driving his gold colour Ford Ranger with Mpumalanga number plates on the R50 road going to his house in Leslie. 

At the T-junction to Evander, the complainant turned right, where he was stopped by two males wearing traffic law enforcement uniforms. 

The complainant stopped, and the traffic officers asked for his driver’s license.

While looking for the licence, one officer turned his vehicle off, and another tried to open the passenger door. 

The complainant fought them, and they managed to open the passenger door, and he was pointed with a firearm. 

The third person then jumped in at the back and strangled the complainant, pulling him to the back and down to the ground. 

One of the suspects then got into the driver’s side, and they all drove off.

They stopped on the gravel road and told the complainant not to look at them and transferred him to another white car, a small hatchback, but made it unknown to the complainant.

The Ford Ranger drove off. They also left the gravel road and drove to a place like a township, but unknown to the complainant, and he was facing the floor and could only hear people and cars. 

They stopped at a certain house where they demanded access to the complainant’s cellphone banking. They told the complainant that they would withdraw all his money. They then started drinking and having a Braai whilst the complainant was in the car, thereafter they took him and dropped him off at a location unknown to him.

Upon enquiring, he found out he was in Duduza, where he called his brother to come to his rescue using a cellphone he had borrowed from locals in the area.

He was robbed of his cellphone, Ford Ranger and wallet with all his cards.

The three African Males were wearing traffic officers’ uniforms and talking isiZulu, isiSiswati, and Sotho. Only two had a firearm.

A case of hijack img has since been opened with the Leslie police station, and the vehicle has been circulated.