City of Cape Town Law Enforcement agencies, along with the South African Police Services, have reportedly clamped down on a hijacking syndicate in Lingelethu West.

On Wednesday, City officials conducted a joint intelligence-driven operation with the police and raided a property in Town Two, Lingelethu West, where authorities uncovered a number of items presumably used in hijackings.

During the raid, officers also recovered a vehicle which was reported stolen in Muizenberg last year.

Among the items confiscated during a joint operation were three homemade rifles, homemade handguns, vehicle keys, hand radios, surfboards and wheels

“While the property was found unoccupied at the time of the search, investigations continue,” added Safety and Security MMC, JP Smith

During the operation, officers arrested a male who was found with the engine of a vehicle hijacked in Khayelitsha several years ago. The engine of the Toyota Quantum was found inside his home. He faces charges of possession of suspected stolen property.

At the same time, officers arrested another male suspect wanted by police on a murder charge by Lingelethu West SAPS.

According to the City’s Safety and Security Directorate, this operation comes amid a surge in the hijacking of City of Cape Town vehicles.

Over the last financial year, the City has recorded an increase in the hijackings of municipal vehicles. Between July 2024 to April 2025, a total of 113 City vehicles were hijacked. This is an increase when compared to the 57 vehicles hijacked during the previous financial year.

Of the 133 vehicles hijacked in recent months, the City has been able to recover 42 vehicles.

Smith says the statistics show that the Urban Waste and the Water and Sanitation Directorates are most affected, and in most of these incidents, City officials are held at gunpoint.

The hijackings are reportedly most prevalent in Lingelethu West, Makhaza, Harare, Khayelitsha and Mfuleni.

READ MORE: Truck with Nestle products worth R1 million hijacked in Manenberg