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Cape Town - Hijackings and armed robberies are a sad reality on South Africa's roads. Despite government efforts, SA remains a global hot-spot for road crimes.
According to crime statistics by the South African Police Service (SAPS), 12 773 carjackings and 1279 truck hijackings were reported during the period April 2014 to March 2015. The report revealed 55 090 cases of stolen vehicles and motorcycles.
Read: 8 things you should know when dealing with roadblocks in SA
Sometimes, drivers get the better of criminals in SA as seen in a video published on YouTube - a driver's quick reactions saved them from a potential armed robbery and/or hijacking.
Readers respond
We asked readers to share their road-crime experiences:
1 'They tied me up and drove off with the bakkie'
Wheels24 reader Barend van Heerden said: 'The one guy hit me about six times over my head as I was trying to get their attention away from my wife.'
2 Robbed at an intersection: 'He threatened to shoot'
'I panicked so much I couldn’t open the window or door,' Wheels24 reader, Lindokuhle Ndlovu, says he was robbed at gunpoint at a traffic intersection in Johannesburg.
3 Reader: Taxi harassment in Tzaneen
'They approached me at high speed. A vehicle at the front and another at the rear forced me to stop,' Wheels24 reader Portia Mkansi shares her story.
4 'I was hijacked at gun point'
'I noticed him cocking the gun and realised that if I want my life spared, I'd have to give him my car,' Wheels24 reader Lindiwe Maseko shares her chilling story of being hijacked in Johannesburg.
5 Hijacking in SA: 'Quick thinking saved our lives!'
'If it wasn’t for my husband’s quick thinking, the situation could have turned out a lot worse,' says Wheels24 reader Susanna Nell.
6 Reader: 'Hijacking in SA - a car is not worth your life'
'As I looked up I had two guns against my chest and another against my head,' Wheels24 reader Jacques Van Der Merwe shares a harrowing tale of a hijacking in South Africa.
7 Robbed at an intersection: 'He threatened to shoot'
'I panicked so much I couldn’t open the window or door, 'Wheels24 reader, Lindokuhle Ndlovu, says he was robbed at gunpoint at a traffic intersection in Johannesburg.
'They tied me up and drove off with the bakkie'
'The one guy hit me about six times over my head as I was trying to get their attention away from my wife,' says Wheels24 reader Barend van Heerden.
Reader: Taxi harassment in Tzaneen
'They approached me at high speed. A vehicle at the front and another at the rear forced me to stop,' Wheels24 reader Portia Mkansi shares her story.
10 life-saving tips on SA's roads:
1. Purchase an electric gate and make sure you close it as soon as you enter your property. Many hijackings and home invasions happen just as you are entering or leaving your home.
2. Have a well-lit driveway with the electric gate (that can switch to a battery during power failures) to help you get in and out safely.
3. Leave enough room between your car and the one in front at junctions and traffic lights to avoid being boxed in.
4. If you think that you are being followed, drive to the nearest police station or another safe public place with people about. Do not go home.
5. At an unusual or unexpected roadblock, keep your windows closed and doors locked and ask for the police or traffic officer's identity card.
6. If you sense you are in danger, hit the button on your tracking device if you have one.
7. When driving home alone, always phone ahead to give a relative, spouse or partner your expected time of arrival.
8. Get to know your neighbours and the cars they drive. This will help you identify any strange vehicles in your area.
9. Adopt a search pattern radius to scout before approaching your home.
10. Adjust your speed when approaching a traffic light, especially at night, so that you do not have to come to a complete stop.