Durban - A Durban motorist has shot and killed a suspected hijacker following an incident on King Cetshwayo Highway on Wednesday evening.
Emer-G-Med spokesperson, Kyle van Reenen, said they were called to the scene at about 7.30pm.
“Reports from the scene are that a male, approximately 30 years old, was found to have sustained fatal gunshot wounds and was declared dead on arrival of paramedics,” he said.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased and his accomplices allegedly tried to hijack the motorist when he fired shots.
Van Reenen said the man’s accomplices fled the scene.
“Police were on scene and will be investigating further,” he said.
According to SecureDrive’s internal database recording hijacking incidents over the past year, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal recorded the largest proportions of hijackings on record with December, January and the months between March and June being the highest risk times recorded during the year. Most of the hijackings took place on Thursdays and Fridays between 6am and 9am, and 6pm and midnight.
SecureDrive offers drivers the following safety hints and tips:
- If you suspect you are being followed, put your indicator on and slow down at least two to three houses prior to your home. If you are being followed, you will force the vehicle behind you to pass and this could cause the criminals to lose interest.
- If you need to stop in your driveway to manually open the gate, always leave the key in the ignition and the motor running unless you have a child in the car. Only then should you take the key with you as you open the gate. The key is a valuable negotiating tool – they want your car and you want your child.
- Always make sure you can see the back wheels of the car in front of you when you stop in the traffic. This gives you enough room to manoeuvre and escape.
- Don’t fall for the “tap-tap” trap where a driver taps the back of your car in traffic. They often use female drivers as decoys here. Never get out of your car on the scene to assess the damage but rather drive to a busy location. Signal to the other driver to follow you. If it is not legitimate they will seldom follow you.
- If you stay in a secure complex with security guards, do not be fooled into thinking you are safe. You can easily be followed into your complex so always remain vigilant. Research shows that most people relax the closer they get to home and this is often when they are most vulnerable.
- If you have a panic button or a mobile security app, have it on hand just in case. Ask your security company if they offer a safe arrival service, so that an armed response officer meets you at home to ensure you enter your property safely.
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