WATCH | Viral video points out top five hijacking hotspots in Durban

A viral video pointing out the top five hijacking hotspots in Durban has raised some safety concerns.

The video, by Mit-Mak Motors master class, listed Umlazi, Sherwood, Botanic Road in Morningside, Pixley kaSeme Street in the Durban CBD and, at the top of the list, Chestnut Crescent in Mariannhill.

According to the third quarter crime statistics 2022/2023, hijacking rates in South Africa increased between 2022 and 2023 by 14%. In KwaZulu-Natal, the latest quarterly crime statistics showed that there was an 11,3% increase in hijackings.

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Nationwide, three Durban police stations — Pinetown, KwaMashu and Umlazi — were placed at eight, 12 and 21 respectively in the top 30 police stations with the highest number of hijackings reported.

Police were failing to protect communities
Democratic Alliance KZN spokesperson for community safety Sharon Hoosen said the police were failing to protect communities because they were unable to keep up with the high crime rate.

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She said criminals had more firepower and were extremely up to date with technology, which in her opinion had always kept the SA Police Services (SAPS) on the back foot.

“How can SAPS be a force to be reckoned with against criminals when they are extremely understaffed, under-trained and the lack of specialised units to tackle high priority crimes is shocking.

This is a clear indication that SAPS is too far gone in losing the battle on crime. They would need more than a miracle to fix the SAPS
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Hoosen said the police needed to increase the specialised units to all stations to address specific crimes and intensify training of all SAPS officers.

“SAPS need to increase the capacity of boots on the ground at the high crime stations, work closely with community organisations to strengthen the areas of poor service levels that are provided to communities and to ensure that officers are well resourced,” she said.

The DA is expected to hold a meeting on Wednesday with some Mariannhill residents who have been directly affected by the high level of crime in the area.

“The recent quarterly crime statistics show a disturbing increase in serious and other crimes, with KwaZulu-Natal fast becoming South Africa’s murder and rape capital,” the party said.