Gauteng Premier praises elite cops after swift arrest of man who tried to hijack G20 vehicle

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has commended the South African Police Services (SAPS) and other law enforcement agencies for acting swiftly in apprehending a suspect who attempted to hijack an official G20 Mercedes Benz at the weekend.

On Saturday, just as the summit was getting underway, the police reported that a suspect attempted to hijack a G20 vehicle, which at the time was carrying members of the police's elite National Intervention Unit (NIU).

The police confirmed the incident in a statement, saying the suspected hijacker had on Friday evening attempted to steal a vehicle assigned to the G20 Leaders’ Summit, while using a toy gun.

Reacting to the post-G20 crime report, Lesufi condemned those who did their best to disrupt the successful hosting of the recently concluded summit.

Lesufi commended the police for a job well done, saying the efforts of law enforcement agencies were critical to the success of the two-day global event.

"We managed, during this G20 period, to arrest 1,790 people for crimes which included theft, kidnapping, and other contact crimes such as murder and attempted murder. The highlight was the arrest of a car hijacker, who attempted to hijack a police car filled with policemen with a toy gun. The police dealt with the situation appropriately. It is within this context that the provincial government would like to thank the law enforcement agencies," Lesufi stated.

According to police reports, the incident is said to have occurred along Empire Road, where NIU members were conducting routine patrols as part of tightened security measures for the high-level summit of world leaders.

In the statement, police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the man jumped onto the road and pointed a firearm at the driver of a vehicle hired for G20 operations, unaware the occupants were elite NIU officers.

“One of the NIU members fired a shot towards the suspect, and he sustained a gunshot wound to the upper body. Police later discovered the weapon used by the alleged hijacker was an imitation firearm."

Mathe said that the suspect was rushed to the hospital under heavy police guard and he would be charged with attempted hijacking, once declared fit to appear in court. 

“The possession of an imitation firearm with the intention to commit an offence, such as hijacking, as well as pointing at a person if it is likely to lead a person to believe that it is a firearm, constitutes an offence in terms of the Firearms Control Act,” Mathe said.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za