By Kotie Geldenhuys;
Photos/images courtesy of Unsplash, Pexels and Pixabay
In South Africa, an unsettling trend has emerged in cities across the country: the hijacking of residential properties. Where once we only feared vehicle hijacking, we now have to fear that these criminals will take over our homes – our safe havens.
Property hijacking is no longer limited to industrial buildings and abandoned properties in city centres, it has evolved as criminal syndicates are moving to greener pastures. Criminals are increasingly targeting lived-in homes, bringing the problem closer to you and me. The escalation of these invasions can in part be attributed to the limitations of the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land (PIE) Act 19 of 1998, which has not been amended to counteract the tactics of sophisticated syndicates.
The shift from vacant, run-down urban buildings to occupied residential areas marks a significant change in the behaviour of criminal syndicates. Reports indicate a notable increase in such incidents, alarming both homeowners and urban planners. It all begins almost innocently, often when life disrupts the daily routines of homeowners due to a holiday, overseas business trip or death in the family when the owners are out of town for the funeral. These gaps in vigilance are the opportunities that criminal syndicates seek. They bide their time, studying the comings and goings of homeowners, noting when the house is left empty and all is quiet.
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[This is only an extract of an article that is published in Servamus: January 2025. This article is available for purchase.]