Police shoot hijacker targeting G20 vehicle in Johannesburg
NIU police officers shot a hijacker who, with a toy gun, targeted an official G20 convoy.
Image: File
A SUSPECTED hijacker was shot by members of the police’s elite National Intervention Unit (NIU) in Johannesburg on Friday after he attempted to seize an official G20 vehicle.
The man, believed to have been acting alone, allegedly tried to force the officers out of the vehicle using what appeared to be a toy gun. NIU members, who were travelling in the vehicle, responded swiftly and shot the suspect. His condition could not be immediately confirmed.
While police have yet to officially confirm the incident, a reliable source told IOL that security was tight around the G20 Leaders’ Summit, currently underway at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg. The two-day event has drawn heads of state and senior government officials from 42 countries, including China’s Premier Li Qiang, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chính, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Access to the Nasrec venue has been heavily restricted, with most entrances blocked off. Law enforcement officers have been maintaining a visible presence around the perimeter, underscoring the seriousness of the security measures in place. More than 3,500 police officers have been deployed, supported by military personnel on high alert.
The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) said this week that intelligence agencies are conducting daily threat assessments.
“What the intelligence communities communicate to the joint structure is verified information ready to be operationalised,” aid SAPS deputy national commissioner for policing, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili.
“We do so on a daily basis and will continue until we conclude our operations.”
Mosikili also confirmed that Operation Shanela, a national crime-prevention drive, remains active during the summit. The initiative focuses on tackling serious and violent crimes through stop-and-search operations, roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints, and high-visibility patrols across all nine provinces.