MPUMALANGA — A significant Mpumalanga vehicle hijacking arrest was executed early Sunday morning after law enforcement intercepted a stolen Toyota Hilux at the Nkomazi Toll Plaza, highlighting the growing success of public-private partnerships in combating auto crime.
The incident unfolded at approximately 05:20 on Sunday, 27 September 2026, when police members were conducting routine stop-and-search operations. Officers spotted a silver Toyota Hilux double cab approaching the plaza. Upon stopping the vehicle, they noted it was displaying Mpumalanga registration plates.
However, the initial inspection prompted further scrutiny. Police collaborated on-site with officers from a private vehicle tracking company. Through this joint “partnership policing” effort, investigators discovered that the displayed plates were incorrect. By retrieving the vehicle’s true registration number, they confirmed the Hilux had been hijacked in Nelspruit and that a case was already open at a local police station.
The driver, identified as a 60-year-old foreign national from Mozambique, was arrested on the spot. He has been formally charged with possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle and is expected to make a forthcoming appearance at the Barberton Magistrate’s Court.
This successful interception was part of a broader, highly coordinated weekend crackdown on auto crime in the region. Beyond the Nkomazi bust, the Ehlanzeni Anti-Hijacking Task Team successfully tracked down and recovered three additional hijacked vehicles across the Ehlanzeni District over the weekend.
Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise, the Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga, publicly commended the tactical response of the police officers. He specifically praised the security officers from the tracking company, emphasizing that their swift, collaborative efforts are vital to the continuous recovery of hijacked and stolen vehicles throughout the province.
The recovery of these vehicles not only prevents further criminal exploitation but also provides critical relief to the victims of these hijackings, reinforcing the effectiveness of integrated, multi-agency law enforcement strategies in the region.
