A sharp increase in truck hijackings has placed Orange Farm at the top of the national crime rankings, according to the latest South African Police Service (SAPS) crime statistics.
The figures, covering April to June 2026, show that Orange Farm SAPS recorded 18 truck hijackings, compared with only two during the same period in 2025. The increase of 16 cases saw the station ranked first in Gauteng and first nationally for truck hijackings during the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year.
The latest numbers also mark Orange Farm’s highest figure across the five corresponding periods reflected in the report. The station recorded 14 cases in 2022, nine in 2023 and 10 in 2024 before dropping significantly to just two in 2025. The latest jump to 18 cases represents a dramatic reversal of that decline.
Truck hijacking is classified by SAPS as a subcategory of robbery with aggravating circumstances. SAPS defines truck hijacking as the forceful removal and appropriation of a truck belonging to another person, with light delivery vehicles excluded from this particular category.
Orange Farm’s position at the top of both the provincial and national rankings places renewed attention on the safety of truck drivers and commercial transport moving through the policing precinct. However, the quarterly report does not provide details about the circumstances surrounding the 18 recorded cases or identify specific locations where they occurred.
The sharp increase from two cases to 18 within a year is likely to raise concerns among residents, businesses and transport operators, while placing further focus on policing and crime-prevention efforts in the area.
