TSHWANE – A 47-year-old suspect is in custody following a dramatic high-speed pursuit and shootout in Tshwane, resulting in the rescue of two kidnapping victims and the recovery of an unlicensed firearm. Gauteng police officials confirmed the arrest after a coordinated crime prevention operation targeting a violent hijacking and kidnapping incident that originated in Centurion.
According to Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, the incident began on 21 August 2026 at approximately 18:00. Police units were conducting crime prevention duties in the Tshwane area after receiving intelligence regarding the hijacking of an Omoda motor vehicle and the abduction of a man and a woman in Centurion. The hijacked Omoda was later discovered abandoned by the suspects in Atteridgeville.
Investigators subsequently received credible information that the suspects and their two victims had transferred to a black Audi. The vehicle was spotted in the vicinity of Block XX, Soshanguve, travelling south along the R80 Highway toward Pretoria. Law enforcement officers immediately initiated patrols along the Mabopane Highway, where they identified a vehicle matching the suspect description, triggering a high-speed pursuit in the direction of Pretoria.
The chase concluded when the suspected vehicle approached the Areyeng Bus Station on Paul Kruger Street. The driver lost control, causing the vehicle to overturn. Upon exiting the overturned vehicle, the suspects attempted to flee on foot. During the ensuing confrontation, shots were exchanged between law enforcement and the suspects. Amid the chaos, both kidnapping victims successfully escaped the scene without sustaining any injuries.
Police, assisted by private security officers, conducted an extensive search of the surrounding area, including the bus station offices. This coordinated effort led to the apprehension of one suspect. A subsequent search of the individual revealed a bag containing a firearm with its serial number deliberately filed off, alongside a 9mm magazine loaded with live ammunition. The firearm has been submitted for forensic testing to determine if the suspect is linked to other criminal activities.
The 47-year-old suspect is scheduled to appear before the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 24 August 2026. He faces multiple serious charges, including possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, possession of a hijacked motor vehicle, hijacking, and kidnapping.
Police investigations remain active as authorities work to locate the second suspect and establish the full circumstances surrounding the criminal incident.