Water tanker hijacked in Bethal found 400 kilometres away in Nelspruit

A municipal water tanker hijacked in eMzinoni, near Bethal, last week was located approximately 400 km away in Kanyamzane, outside Nelspruit.

A trailer stolen in Middelburg in 2017 was also in the suspects’ possession, where they found the hijacked water tanker.

The successful hunt for the truck started shortly after it was hijacked on Thursday, 20 August, in eMzinoni, near Bethal.

Shortly after news of the hijacking in Bethal broke, Hennie Bekker, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Mpumalanga Highveld, took action.

He contacted private control rooms in the region to try to locate the truck on their security cameras.

The truck was spotted near Nelspruit at approximately 20:00. AfriForum’s Nelspruit neighbourhood watch was informed of the hijacked vehicle’s location.

Private tracking service Netstar conducted further investigations, and neighbourhood watch members were instructed to stop the truck and apprehend the suspects.

Netstar successfully recovered the truck as part of the collaboration with AfriForum’s Nelspruit neighbourhood watch.

According to Bekker, the hijacking is likely the work of a syndicate intent on stealing water tanker trucks.

Research conducted by Tracker identified Mpumalanga as a new hotspot for hijackings in 2025, with a particular focus on business vehicles and trucks.

“Due to its location bordering Mozambique, Mpumalanga is a vulnerable target for hijackings,” he said.

“The province’s road network offers an ideal escape route for criminals to take stolen vehicles across the border.”

Bekker urged for greater awareness of the province’s weak points, which make it susceptible and attractive to hijackers.

“It is essential to take proactive measures to combat this crime or to swiftly intervene when criminals strike,” he said.

He added that cooperation between the community and private security stakeholders played a critical role in this operation.

“The use of technology and the preparedness of those involved proved decisive, underscoring that criminals will not gain the upper hand in our community,” he said.