Driver shoots three alleged hijackers on N1

Three men have been gunned down in an alleged attempted hijacking on the N1 North Diepkloof interchange on Tuesday.

The driver of a white bakkie was travelling on the highway when the occupants of two different vehicles signalled for him to stop and showed him what looked like a police appointment certificate.

When he stopped, three males climbed out of a red Kia Rio vehicle and told him there was something wrong under his car.

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“When he bent to check, a knife was pointed at him and he was instructed not to move, as they wanted his car and not him.

“The man, who had a firearm on his waist, immediately responded and started shooting,” police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Mevhuhulwi explained.

The suspects from the second vehicle, a blue Ford Focus, shot back while driving off.

“Three suspects were declared dead on the scene.

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“The police will be investigating a case of murder, attempted murder and attempted hijacking, ” Mevhuhulwi added.

The driver remained at the scene, alongside officials from the Gauteng Traffic Police, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, forensic services, and the South African Police Service.

How to reduce your chances of being hijacked

Private investigator Mike Bolhuis gave these driving tip to The Citizen’s sister publication the Pretoria Rekord:

• Avoid driving over anything on the road, including plastic bags.
• When passing under a bridge, change lanes just before you pass underneath it.
• Reduce speed to increase your chances of seeing obstacles on the road.
• Concrete lintels are being used as well.
• If you cannot avoid them any other way, slow down and carefully drive over them.
• If the circumstances allow, travelling straddling two lanes may help you miss spikes being placed in the lane.
• If another vehicle is present, drive six seconds or more behind so their driving can alert you if anything is amiss.
• When you see something suspicious ahead if the highway is quiet enough and safety allows it, drive across the island (if possible) and travel in the opposite direction.
• If you spot an obstacle before you reach it, move into the emergency lane or onto the grass if that highway section allows it.
• Stick to the speed limit and slow down in areas known for spike and rock-throwing incidents. This could give you enough time to spot the object on the road and safely avoid the danger.
• If you drive over a spike or other damaging object, remain calm and avoid stopping if possible.
• If the unfortunate happens and you hit a spike, reduce your speed to approximately 30-40km/h and continue driving to the nearest place of safety instead of stopping immediately.
• At all costs, do not get out of your car. Instead, drive your tyres to the rim to the nearest police station.
• It is vitally important that you do not panic or engage with the criminals as this can put your life at risk.
• If you managed to move past the spikes safely, contact authorities immediately to prevent other motorists from being harmed by the criminals.
• It is critical to identify the high-risk roads in your area/province. This information is generally published in each area.
• Always ensure that your cell phone is fully charged and its live location is always on, especially if you drive alone.

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